


What Happens In Vegas...

by madnephelite



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake Marriage, Friendship, Las Vegas Wedding, Memory Loss, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2020-03-29 23:53:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 136,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19030507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madnephelite/pseuds/madnephelite
Summary: Vic wakes up with the worst headache she has ever had in her life, in her hotel room, with no memories of what has happened the night before.





	1. Blame It On The Alcohol

**Author's Note:**

> I just couldn't get this idea out of my head. I just had to write it even though I have other stories going atm. I hope you all enjoy!

Vic wakes up with the worst headache she has ever had in her life, in her hotel room, with no memories of what has happened the night before. She groans and tries to move but the arm that is wrapped around her waist makes it impossible. She freezes when she realizes that they are both naked and she can tell from the soreness between her legs that they definitely didn’t just cuddle. She looks down at the hand on her stomach and notices a ring on the guys finger and curses herself for having slept with a married guy. If there is anything worse than having a drunken one night stand you don’t remember, it’s realizing that said one night stand is actually married. Victoria Hughes has officially become the other woman and she feels a deep shame. She rubs her eyes with her left hand and that’s when she notices a matching wedding band on her own finger. She immediately sits up, not caring whether or not she wakes the guy next to her and looks at the ring on her finger.

“What the hell did I do last night?” she asks herself wincing at her own voice. She must have been really wasted.

So turns out that there are worse things than having a drunken one night stand with a married guy. Apparently, she got married while drunk to some stranger. She hears a groan next to her and looks down at the sleeping form of her “husband”. She can’t see his face, only the back of his head. He is blond with some grey in it. His arms and back are toned and defined. Vic can’t help but peek underneath the covers to discover that the rest of his body is just as toned and defined as his arms and back. She wonders what his face looks like and as if on cue he shifts in his sleep and turns around, giving her a perfect view of his face and Vic’s eyes go wide in shock because the drunken stranger wasn’t a stranger after all. It was her boss - more like her bosses bosses boss - the Fire Chief of the Seattle Fire Department himself, Lucas Ripley.

Vic wraps the sheets around her naked body, grabs her phone and disappears into the bathroom. She locks the door and then goes into full panic mode. This can’t be happening. Bad enough that she slept with the chief but apparently they had gotten married too. How the hell did that happen? Who lets people get married while they are drunk? 

She is about to call her friend when her phone rings, said friend calling her.

“Damn it, Vic! Where the hell are you?” Naomi yells as Vic picks up and winces because her head is killing her.

“Naomi, keep your voice down. My head it killing me,” Vic whispers.

“Are you hungover?” her friend starts ranting. “I can’t believe you would do that and on the day of my wedding. You are supposed to be my maid of honor and you are hungover on my wedding day?”

“Naomi, will you please stop yelling. Yes, I’m hungover but that doesn’t mean that I can’t handle your wedding today,” Vic looks at the time. “Look, it’s still early. I’ll be in your room in about thirty minutes and we will get you ready and you will have the perfect wedding even though your maid of honor is hungover and did some stupid shit last night.”

“What stupid shit?” Naomi wonders.

“I’ll tell you when I see you in thirty minutes,” Vic tells her and hangs up.

She turns around to look in the mirror and almost scares herself with her appearance. Her hair is a mess, her makeup is smeared all over her face and there is a hickey on her collarbone. She drops the bedsheet and looks at the rest of her body. There is another hickey on her left breast and one on her inner right thigh. She feels stickiness between her legs, so they definitely haven’t used a condom. She would panic about that fact if she weren’t on birth control. Vic also knows that she is clean and figures that someone like the Fire Chief would be too.

She takes a quick shower and wraps a fresh towel around her body, takes a deep breath, steels herself and then walks out of the bathroom.

She finds him sitting at the edge of the bed with his head in his hands and a piece of paper beside him on the bed. He immediately looks up at her when he hears the bathroom door open. Vic can’t help the blush as he stares at her. She is not blind and even though he is the highest ranking officer in the department he is one fine specimen of a man who is naked in her bed.

“Hi,“ she greets shyly.

“Hi,” he greets back, not taking his eyes off of her. “What happened last night?”

“I don’t really remember all that much. We must have been really wasted,” she says and he chuckles and then winces in pain, his eyes landing on the piece of paper beside him, a wedding certificate.

He takes it in his hands and shows her. Vic lifts her left hand to show him the ring there.

“Why does your name sound so familiar? I feel like I know you from somewhere,” he wonders.

“Oh, you don’t know who I am, sir?” she asks and his eyes go wide.

“What did you just call me?”

“I called you sir because you are Lucas Ripley, Fire Chief of the Seattle Fire Department and I’m Victoria Hughes, a firefighter from Station 19. You are my boss and apparently we got drunk and stupid and got married last night and then consummated said marriage and I’m just as shocked as you are and this is not how I thought my trip to Vegas would go but right now I can’t deal with this. My childhood best friend is getting married today and I’m her maid of honor and she is already pissed at me as is. We can deal with this later. I can’t disappoint her more than I already have,” Vic babbles and pauses to take a quick breath. “I’m sorry for just running out on you like this but I need to go deal with her today. It’s her day and I won’t ruin it for her.”

Vic takes a step towards him. She notices a bite mark on his shoulder and can’t help but blush. Whatever they did last night it looks like it was wild and they had some fun. Too bad that she can’t remember any of it. She stands right in front of him as he straightens up and looks at her, both realizing that she is naked underneath the towel while he is naked underneath the sheets.

“I need your ring back,” she says, holding out her hand.

“Excuse me?” he looks confused.

“The wedding band on our fingers are my friend Naomi’s and her soon-to-be husbands. I had them with me last night. Thank God, I didn’t lose them. I would never hear the end of it.”

Ripley quickly takes the ring off and hands it to her, his fingers brushing against her palm. She ignores the shiver that runs down her spine at the contact and turns around to walk away from him. She puts the rings and her phone into her bag and grabs some clothes and disappears into the bathroom to get dressed. When she emerges again, she notices that he is dressed as well. He is wearing a tux and looking quite handsome. She looks at him with raised eyebrows.

“I was at a conference and then we had dinner afterwards. They usually like to dress up for that so you know when in Rome...” he explains and smiles at her.

“I need your number so I can call you later and we can figure this out,” she suggests and he nods and types his number into her phone and rings himself to have hers as well.

“I will see what I can find out about what happened last night. I don’t think that we are legally married because you still need a marriage license for that but we did...” he trails off and points at the bed, blushing slightly which Vic finds kind of adorable. “And that is a whole other thing we need to deal with.”

“I promise we will, but now I have a wedding to attend,” she tells him as they both leave her room and head in opposite directions.

“Victoria?” he calls after her and she stops at the sound of her first name. People don’t usually call her that. It’s always Vic or Hughes at work. She turns around and looks at him.  
“I’m sorry for what happened. I’m sorry if I took advantage of you. As your boss I should have known better,” he apologizes and Vic can hear the regret and shame in his voice.

“Don’t be. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the other way around. I can be very convincing. Plus, you didn’t know who I was, so,” she gives him a reassuring smile.

“Still, that is not the kind of man I am or want to be,” he hangs his head in shame.

Vic takes a few steps towards him until she is standing right in front of him.

“Don’t beat yourself up about this, Lu… I mean, sir,” she says and squeezes his hand. “Everything will be okay. We will find a solution for whatever this is.” 

He lifts his head as she gives him another reassuring smile.

“I really have to run now or I will be one dead maid of honor and you will be a widower,” she jokes, making him chuckle. “I’ll see you later,” she says and without thinking she leans in and brushes her lips against his cheek, then turns around and walks away, her heart racing, her head still aching. 

That will be one fun story for the grandkids someday, she thinks to herself before rounding the corner and walking to Naomi’s room.


	2. No Easy Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are not as easy as they appeared to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos on this fic. It made my day that you all enjoyed it.

Vic opens the door with the keycard Naomi gave her and finds her friend sitting in a chair, in her wedding dress, arms folded across her chest, looking super pissed and Vic feels terrible.

“You better have a good explanation for being late, missy,” her friend mutters under her breath.

“Um, I got really wasted last night and apparently married my boss and then had sex with him and neither of us can remember a thing,” Vic blurts out and Naomi starts laughing.

“Oh Vic, you are hilarious. But seriously, where were you?” she demands to know.

“I just told you,” Vic repeats.

“Wait what? You are being serious about this?” Vic nods and sighs. “How did that happen?”

“I wish I knew. I woke up this morning, naked, in bed with him. It was obvious that we haven’t just snuggled. And then I saw our rings, well yours and Brian’s rings really,” Naomi glares at her. “I’m sorry about that, okay? As I was saying, there were rings on our fingers and when I turned around and looked at him I realized that it was the Fire Chief of Seattle and that not only have I slept with my bosses bosses boss but actually married him too.”

“You do know that you are not married legally since you didn’t have a marriage license, right?”

“That’s what he said as well. He said he would go and find out what happened and then call me and let me know.”

“Damn girl, I remember seeing pictures of the Fire Chief and he is fine. Do you remember anything about your night with him?”

“Nothing. It’s all blank,” Vic sighs.

“That’s a damn shame. I mean if you already did something as stupid as sleep with your boss then at least it would be nice to remember if it was good or not. Did you at least get a peek at what he looks like underneath that uniform?” Naomi wants to know as Vic blushes. “Oh my God, you did. Spill.”

“I mean I didn’t get to see his, well you know but his backside is quite nice to look at,” Vic admits and they both laugh. “Look Naomi, I’m sorry for almost ruining your day. I promise no more distractions today. Today is all about you and I guess Brian but mostly you,” her friend chuckles.

The door opens and the room fills with the other bridesmaids. They all get dressed, do their hair and get their makeup done. Vic manages to cover up the hickey on her collarbone but not before her friends see it and tease her about it.

“Do I even want to know where else he marked you?” Naomi jokes and Vic feels her cheeks burn as everyone else in the room laughs.

“I thought it’s your special day today? Why are we talking about me?”

“Because I love teasing you but you are right. Let’s go and get me married to the love of my life,” she shouts with excitement and Vic just shakes her head.

\----------

The ceremony is held at the Guardian Angel Cathedral and as Vic watches her friends marry each other and exchange vows and rings, she wonders what her vows with Ripley looked like. She wonders if the chapel they married in had any video cameras or took pictures of them. She tries to remember anything from that night but it’s like someone wiped her mind. It’s frustrating. She wonders how he feels about this whole thing. He looked so upset with himself for what he had done. Vic had always thought of the Chief as an upstanding men. She had never heard any women in the department complain about him that he was being unfair to them or treated them differently or tried anything with them. They had always called him respectful, kind and fair, so waking up with his subordinate probably wasn’t the best thing for him. Vic is brought back to reality when she hears the guests clapping as the happy couple shares a sweet kiss and she smiles at them and hopes that she didn’t ruin their luck by using their rings first.

Later at the reception, she sits by herself and watches Naomi and Brian dance and they look so happy together. Vic has never thought of herself as the hearts and rainbows type of girl but she can’t help but think how beautiful all that is and that maybe someday she will want that too when she finds the right person.

She hears someone clear their throat and as she looks up she finds Ripley standing next to her looking quite handsome in a tux. She notices that it’s a different tux than the one he was wearing in the morning.

“Hey, what are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“I said I’m your husband,” he simply replies as he shrugs his shoulders.

“You did what?” she half-yells which gets her the attention of some of the guests. She stands up, grabs his hand and drags him to a secluded area.

“Before you yell at me. It was only one person I told and I have a good reason why I’m here,” he explains and Vic has her arms folded across her chest and she looks very unamused.

“It’s time for the toasts. Where is our maid of honor, Victoria?” they both hear someone announce inside the ballroom.

“Damn, I totally forgot about that,” she curses and runs back into the ballroom.

“Ah, there she is. Ladies and gentlemen, Victoria Hughes, the maid of honor.”

Everyone claps and Vic grabs the microphone and watches as Ripley walks back into the room. She looks inside her purse for the speech she wrote but can’t find it and she starts to panic. She must have lost it somewhere. She looks up and her eyes meet Ripley’s as he holds up the piece of paper she was looking for. She sighs and quickly walks over to him.

“That’s why I came here. I thought you might need this,” he hands her the speech and Vic thanks him and walks back to the table.

“Sorry you guys. So, when Naomi asked me to be her maid of honor, I did what any sane person would do and declined,” the room laughs. “Because you see, I knew that a speech was part of that and I really suck at those, just like I do at relationships but luckily Naomi and Brian don’t,” there is more laughter. “I have known these two almost my entire life and I knew they were meant to be from the very first moment when Naomi, at the age of ten, kicked Brian in the shin and then ran away because she had heard that when you like someone you are mean to them. He shared his lunch with her the next day, I always tease them that he was just scared of her and that’s why he did it, but really he did it because he liked her too and they have been inseparable ever since. They started out as friends and then at some point that friendship turned to love and today they are celebrating that love with their family and friends and I couldn’t be happier for them,” Vic wipes a tear from her cheek and sees Brian wipe Naomi’s as he looks at her like she is his sun, his stars and his moon. “I mean just look at them now. If they don’t make you believe in true love I don’t know what else will. They were lucky to find each other at the age of ten and even though it wasn’t always easy and there were fights and tears they made it through all of it because they love each other and saw something that was worth fighting for. Your love is truly inspiring and I wish you a lifetime of happiness and joy,” Vic finishes her speech and drinks as does the rest of the room and then walks back to where Ripley is standing, smiling at her.

“That was a beautiful speech,” he tells her.

“Thanks. I’m sorry for yelling at you before. You actually saved my ass just now,” she admits, making him chuckle.

“You can always count on me to save your ass,” he says and Vic snickers as he turns bright red. “I didn’t mean it like that. That was so inappropriate. I am so sorry, Hughes,” he stutters and Vic can’t help but laugh at this situation. Usually that would be her making a fool of herself. She is glad that the chief is just like her. 

Vic is about to say something but the bride and groom interrupt her as Naomi pulls her into a hug as does Brian and they thank her for the wonderful speech.

“You must be Lucas Ripley,” Naomi eyes him and smiles. “I’m Naomi Campbell, yes just like the supermodel thanks to my new hubby,” she laughs and Ripley shakes their hands and congratulates them on their wedding.

“You and Vic have to dance. I was worried that she wouldn’t find anyone to dance with but you are here now, so go dance and have fun,” her friends practically drag them onto the dance floor and then walk away to mingle with the other guests.

Vic and Ripley stand there awkwardly and stare at each other.

“I have to make a confession,” she whispers as she leans closer, “I can’t dance.”

He smiles at her and nods, then moves a bit closer and grabs her left hand and puts it on his shoulder while taking her right hand into his left while placing his right hand on her back.

“Is this okay?” he asks and she nods and swallows. “Just follow my lead, okay?” she nods again as they start swaying to the music. “See, you’re a natural,” he tells her as she steps on his foot and laughs.

“Sorry, I told you I can’t dance,” she whispers.

“It’s fine. Just listen to the music and let it take over,” he says and she does and it takes a moment or two but she thinks that she has it figured out.

“You look beautiful, by the way. Purple is a great color on you,” he tells her, making her blush. “I hope that wasn’t inappropriate?” Vic shakes her head.

“You look really handsome yourself,” she admits and now it’s his turn to blush.

They spend the rest of the night dancing, eating and laughing and for a moment Vic forgets all about him being her boss and just enjoys the evening until her feet ache and she can barely stand anymore.

“Do you want me to walk you back to your hotel room?” Ripley asks her and she nods.

They exit the ballroom and find themselves in the hotel lobby and Vic can’t help but shiver because it’s quite chilly. She watches as Ripley, ever the gentleman, shrugs of his jacket and puts it over her shoulders.

“And they say chivalry is dead,” Vic teases him as the ride the elevator up to her room.

“Are you too exhausted to talk about our little predicament tonight or do you want to do it tomorrow morning?” he wonders and she opens her door and motions for him to follow her.

She sits on her bed while he takes a seat on one of the chairs.

“So, what did you find out?” she asks but he is not looking at her. “It can’t be that bad, right?”

“Apparently we managed to find the one chapel in Vegas that does marriage licenses as well and we signed one before the ceremony,” he explains, still not meeting her gaze.

“What?” Vic thinks she must have heard him wrong because otherwise he just told her that they are legally married.

“I’m afraid we are legally married and we need to get a divorce,” he finally looks up at her.

“I was never the girl to dream of her wedding but I definitely didn’t think I would be marrying my much older boss while completely wasted and then not remember the wedding or the wedding night. And I will be divorced before I’m even thirty. This is just so freaking awesome,” Vic huffs.

“At least it’s your first divorce. It will be my third,” he tells her as he puts his head in his hands.

“I’m sorry. This is not your fault. I shouldn’t have freaked out like that,” she apologizes. “Why did they let us get married? Why did they let us sign a damn license? I mean we were so drunk,” Vic wonders.

“Apparently we were very convincing and looked totally smitten and in love with each other and the lady that works there is a hopeless romantic and didn’t want to stand in the way of true love,” Vic raises an eyebrow. “Those were her words not mine.”

“Is there a video of us getting married?”

“No but there is a picture,” he tells her as he pulls out his wallet and takes the picture out of it and hands it to her.

“You put it in your wallet?” she asks not daring to look at it just yet.

“I didn’t want to lose it,” she nods and finally looks at the photo and her breath hitches.

In the photograph, they are in each others arms, kissing and it looks anything but tame. Vic can definitely see some tongue there, both his and hers. She has to admit that it looks pretty hot and part of her wishes that she could remember it because it looks like a damn good kiss but maybe it’s better that she doesn’t remember any of it.

“I will call my lawyer as soon as we get back to Seattle and have him draw up divorce papers. You will only need to sign them. It will probably take a few months until it’s official but I promise to take care of it all.”

“I don’t even have a lawyer,” she admits.

“Like I said, I will take care of it all.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. We are in this together,” she tells him and he smiles.

“I feel responsible. If people find out about this it could potentially destroy my career and yours too and well both our reputations. I would hate to see you go through this because of what happened last night.”

“You know that I don’t need you to protect me. I can take care of myself,” she says defensively.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t,” he sighs.

“Are we having our first fight as a married couple?” she suddenly asks trying to ease the tension and he chuckles.

“Looks like we are,” he answers and they both laugh at how ridiculous this whole thing is.

“Look, I’m sorry. It’s really sweet that you want to take care of all this and I’m grateful for that. This whole thing is a mess and I really don’t want to lose my job which I love it and I also don’t want you to lose yours. So, I trust you to take care of it and just have me signs whatever needs to be signed and you and your lawyer will just do the rest.”

“Thank you for trusting me. I know this is not easy but I promise that I will do everything I can to protect you in all of this,” he tells her and she smiles at him and yawns. “You should go to sleep,” he suggests and she nods.

“Yeah. Um, when are you flying back home?”

“Tomorrow evening. My flight is at 9pm.”

“That’s great. We are on the same flight,” she says and yawns again. “Okay, I’m really tired. I will see you tomorrow at the airport, I guess,” she watches him get up from the chair.

“Yeah. Good night, Hughes,” he says and walks towards the door.

“Good night, Chief,” she replies and watches him leave her room.

She looks at their wedding picture one more time before putting it in her bag. She removes her dress and makeup and goes to bed thinking about the mess they created and that hopefully could be fixed without any consequences for either one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did research of course but some things in order to work for the story won't be realistic.


	3. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have had this in the first two chapters but better late than never. This is from Lucas POV and covers the first two chapters.

Lucas can’t remember the last time he was hungover and he most definitely can’t remember it ever being this bad. His head is pounding and as he opens his eyes he realizes that he is not in his hotel room. He sits up and regrets it instantly as the room starts spinning and he feels like he is about to throw up. He closes his eyes again, takes a deep breath and rubs his forehead, slowly opening his eyes again and it takes him a moment to notice that there is something shiny on his finger. He drops his hand from his forehead and looks at it and right there on his ring finger there is a wedding band that wasn’t there before. The last time he had one these on his finger was about twelve years ago before he got divorced for the second time.

He takes a look around and finds a trail of his and her, whoever  _ her _ is, clothes on the floor. In the background, he can hear the shower running and his first instinct is to run but he is not that kind of guy and even if it wasn’t for the ring on his finger, he obviously slept with his “wife”. He can’t help the fear creeping in that last night might not have been consensual and he hopes to God that he didn’t become that guy.

He moves to the edge of the bed and sees a piece of paper lying there, as he picks it up he recognizes it to be a marriage certificate and as he looks at it the name of his bride catches his eye. He can’t help but think that it sounds familiar but he can’t place it. He drops the certificate onto the bed and take his head in his hands and sighs. What had he done? Of all the stupid things he has done in his life this easily tops everything.

He hears the bathroom door open and immediately looks up and his breath is caught in his throat because she is absolutely gorgeous. She is younger by ten maybe even fifteen year but she is easily one of the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life and the way her cheeks are blushing makes her even more beautiful. He tries not to stare at her and scare her away.

“Hi,“ she greets shyly.

“Hi,” he greets back, not taking his eyes off of her. “What happened last night?”

“I don’t really remember all that much. We must have been really wasted,” she tells him which makes him chuckles and wince in pain. His eyes land on the wedding certificate and he grabs it and shows it to her while she lifts her left hand that shows off a wedding band that matches the one on his hand.

“Why does your name sound so familiar? I feel like I know you from somewhere,” he asks her and her eyes go wide.

“Oh, you don’t know who I am, sir?” Lucas freezes at her calling him “sir” because suddenly he thinks he remembers why her name sounds so familiar but he hopes that he is wrong and he just misheard her.

“What did you just call me?”

“I called you sir because you are Lucas Ripley, Fire Chief of the Seattle Fire Department and I’m Victoria Hughes, a firefighter from Station 19. You are my boss and apparently we got drunk and stupid and got married last night and then consummated said marriage and I’m just as shocked as you are and this is not how I thought my trip to Vegas would go but right now I can’t deal with this. My childhood best friend is getting married today and I’m her maid of honor and she is already pissed at me as is. We can deal with this later. I can’t disappoint her more than I already have,” she babbles and he finds it kind of adorable. “I’m sorry for just running out on you like this but I need to go deal with her today. It’s her day and I won’t ruin it for her.”

She takes a step towards him and stops right in front of him. He sits up and looks at her and realizes that underneath the towel she is just as naked as he is underneath the sheets.

“I need your ring back,” she says with an outstretched hand.

“Excuse me?” he asks confused.

“The wedding band on our fingers are my friend Naomi’s and her soon-to-be husbands. I had them with me last night. Thank God, I didn’t lose them. I would never hear the end of it,” she explains as he quickly takes the ring off and hands it to her, ignoring the shiver running through his body as his fingers brush her palm. She turns around, puts the rings and her phone away, grabs some clothes and disappears inside the bathroom again.

Lucas gets off the bed, gathers his clothes and puts them back on. He hears the door click just as he finishes putting his tux back on and he looks at her and notices her staring at him with raised eyebrows.

“I was at a conference and then we had dinner afterwards. They usually like to dress up for that so you know when in Rome...” he explains and smiles at her.

She suggests that they exchange numbers so they can call or text if needed.

“I will see what I can find out about what happened last night. I don’t think that we are legally married because you still need a marriage license for that but we did...” he trails off and points at the bed and he can’t help the blush which amuses her. “And that is a whole other thing we need to deal with.”

“I promise we will, but now I have a wedding to attend,” she insists as they both leave her room and head in opposite directions.

“Victoria?” he calls after her and watches her stop and turn around. “I’m sorry for what happened. I’m sorry if I took advantage of you. As your boss I should have known better,” he apologizes and he feels so ashamed of himself. He wants to say more but she made it clear that there is no time for that right now.

“Don’t be. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the other way around. I can be very convincing. Plus, you didn’t know who I was, so,” she gives him a reassuring smile but it doesn’t help. Lucas still feels like a sleazebag.

“Still, that is not the kind of man I am or want to be,” he hangs his head in shame.

He feels her come closer until she is standing right in front of him.

“Don’t beat yourself up about this, Lu… I mean, sir,” he notices her almost-slip as she squeezes his hand and that does give him some comfort. “Everything will be okay. We will find a solution for whatever this is,” she tells him and this should be him reassuring her and not the other way around. 

He lifts his head and gives her a weak smile as she smiles back at him.

“I really have to run now or I will be one dead maid of honor and you will be a widower,” she jokes and he can’t help but chuckle. “I’ll see you later,” she tells him as she leans in and brushes her lips against his cheek before turning around and walking away.

Without thinking, his finger touch the spot on his cheek where she had just kissed him and he smiles.

That will be one fun story for the grandkids someday, he thinks before walking to his own room to change into more comfortable clothes. 

He takes another look at the marriage certificate to figure out what chapel they were at and realizes that the Astro Chapel isn’t that far from the hotel.

It’s a ten minute walk and it helps him to clear his head a little bit. Lucas figures that the marriage thing probably isn’t an issue and not even legal but the fact that they slept together was very real. She could report him to HR if she wanted to and he wouldn’t blame her. He still doesn’t know whether or not he took advantage of her drunken state but that doesn’t really matter because he still deserved to be reported for what he had done.

He finally reaches the chapel. As he is about to walk in, he notices that the sign on the door doesn’t just say Wedding Chapel but also says Marriage License Bureau and Lucas can’t shake the awful feeling that this marriage thing will be a bigger issue than he assumed just a few minutes ago.

He finally walks in and finds an older lady sitting at a desk, looking somewhat bored. Her face lights up the moment she notices him.

“Ah, Mr. Lucas, how wonderful to see you again. How is your gorgeous wife?” she asks him.

“Um, she is fine. Actually that’s why I’m here. I was wondering if you could help me fill in some blanks and verify the legality of our marriage?” he asks and the nice lady smiles at him.

“All the ceremonies performed in this chapel come with a marriage license and are therefore legal. We are the only chapel in Las Vegas with that service. My wonderful son Cam made sure of it. It just makes it easier for lovely couples such as you and your wonderful bride to get married without too much hassle,” she smiles at him. “Can I just say that in all my years here, I have never met a couple more suited for each other than you and your lovely Victoria. The way you two looked at each other and held onto each other reminded me of myself and my Harry, God rest his soul. We were married for over forty years and he was the love of my life. I can always tell when two people are meant for each other and are in it for the long haul and you two are definitely it,” she finishes and Lucas doesn’t have it in his heart to tell her how wrong she is about this one.

“Thank you. I will make sure to let my wife know you said that,” he smiles kindly. “Just one more question, Victoria and I were quite tipsy and we don’t remember all the details. Do you by any chance record the ceremonies?” he asks hopeful.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Lucas. We usually do but our camera guy called in sick that day and we couldn’t find a replacement in time and I’m no good with all the modern technology. Victoria and you agreed that it wasn’t a problem as long as someone could at least take a photo which I managed,” she smiles softly at him and Lucas’ breath hitches. “The two of you were just so impatient with wanting to consummate your marriage, that you left without it,” Lucas blushes at her words while she looks for the photo.

“I’m really sorry about that. I hope we weren’t doing anything inappropriate here,” he apologizes and she chuckles.

“Oh, dear, I’ve been doing this for so long, you wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen and heard in all those years,” she laughs as she pulls a photo out of her little folder and looks at it fondly. “I have to say you two are one good looking couple. Your children will be stunning with gorgeous hair,” she winks at him and Lucas can’t help but chuckles.

“Thanks,” he says as she hands him the photo.

Lucas gasps as he looks at the photo that shows them in each others arms and they are kissing, tongues and all and he can’t help but think that it looks really hot but sadly it doesn’t trigger any memories of that night. 

“Do you want a second copy?” she asks and Lucas just nods absentmindedly, still staring at the photo, wishing he could remember anything from that night. “Here you go, Lucas.” she hands him the second copy and he puts them away.

“Thank you very much for your help. I should get back to my wife. She is waiting for me,” he lies.

“Of course. Happy wife, happy life,” she reminds him and they both chuckle. “Goodbye, Lucas,” she gives him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before he leaves.

Lucas walks back to the hotel and back up to his room. He plops onto his bed and sighs. How did he end up in this mess? How did he end up legally married, for a third time, to one of his firefighters? If anyone found out about this he would lose his job for sure and while she would probably keep hers, Lucas feared her reputation would suffer. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to protect her at any cost. 

He hears a knock at the door and stands up to open it and finds a concierge standing in front of him.

“I apologize, Mr. Ripley. The maid took your tux to have it cleaned as you requested and she found this,” he hands him a piece of paper, “in your pocket. She thought it might be important.”

“Thank you,” Lucas says politely as he hands him a twenty dollar bill and closes the door again.

He unfolds the piece of paper and starts reading it and realizes that it must be Hughes’ speech and he groans. All he really wanted to do is stay in his room for the rest of the day and figure out a way out of this mess but he had to make sure to get the speech to her somehow.

He calls the reception to help him obtain a new tux since he can’t show up to a wedding in jeans and a sweater before taking a nap.

By the time he wakes up, there is a brand new tux hanging in his room. He decides to take a shower and he doesn’t know how he hadn’t notice before but there are scratch marks on his back and a deep bite mark on his shoulder and once again the fear creeps in that he may have forced himself on Hughes or were they really just that adventurous? He needed to find out or this would drive him crazy.

He takes his time in the shower, just lets all the tension drain out of his body before toweling off and putting on his new tux and fixing his hair. He makes sure to put the speech in his pocket before making his way to the ballroom. 

Getting into the wedding isn’t hard. He just mentions that he is Victoria Hughes husband, doesn’t even have to show ID or proof of it. 

He finds her sitting by herself as she watches the bride and groom dance and they look really happy together and it makes him think of what the sweet old lady at the chapel had said to him about how happy and and in love him and Hughes had looked. He wonders if they were ever going to regain their memories of that night or if it was forever lost. What was in those drinks that made them forget everything?

He can’t help but take her in and she truly is a vision in her purple dress that looks beautiful against her soft caramel skin. The dress is showing a fair amount of cleavage and Lucas has to reprimand himself for staring. That’s the last thing he should be doing. He approaches her slowly and clears his throat, making her look up and lock eyes with him.

“Hey, what are you doing here? How did you get in?” she wonders.

“I said I’m your husband,” he simply replies and shrugs.

“You did what?” she half-yells before dragging him off to a secluded area to avoid people listening in on their conversation.

“Before you yell at me. It was only one person I told and I have a good reason why I’m here,” he starts but she looks unamused as she folds her arms across her chest which makes her cleavage look quite impressive and Lucas has to remind himself to not let his eyes go there. She is already pissed at him.

“It’s time for the toasts. Where is our maid of honor, Victoria?” they hear someone announce inside the ballroom.

“Damn, I totally forgot about that,” he hears her say before she runs out on him again that day. Lucas curses because that speech is the sole reason he is even there.

He runs after her and watches as she grabs the microphone, looks through her purse and then panics because she can’t find what he is holding in his hand. Her gaze falls on him and he waves the piece of paper at her. She sighs and quickly walks over to where he is standing.

“That’s why I came here. I thought you might need this,” he hands her the speech and she thanks him and walks back to the table.

  
As Lucas listens to her, he thinks that Naomi and Brian’s story sounds nice - two people that started out as friends which turned to love. He doesn’t think that he ever had that. He was definitely not friends with his first two wives and he barely knows his third which doesn’t mean that they can’t eventually become friends. Maybe one day they will laugh about this whole thing and just see it for the stupidity that it is. 

He tells her how beautiful her speech was once she is done which earns him a smile.

“Thanks. I’m sorry for yelling at you before. You actually saved my ass just now,” she admits.

“You can always count on me to save your ass,” he tells her and feels like a moron. “I didn’t mean it like that. That was so inappropriate. I am so sorry, Hughes,” he stutters which seems to amuse her. He can tell that she wants to say something but before she can they are being interrupted by the bride and groom.

“You must be Lucas Ripley,” the bride says and smiles. “I’m Naomi Campbell, yes just like the supermodel thanks to my new hubby,” she laughs and Lucas shakes their hands and congratulates them on their wedding.

“You and Vic have to dance. I was worried that she wouldn’t find anyone to dance with but you are here now, so go dance and have fun,” she says before the happy couple drags them both onto the dancefloor and then walks away leaving them standing there awkwardly.

“I have to make a confession,” she whispers as she leans closer, “I can’t dance.”

He is surprised by her confession but doesn’t say anything instead just smiles and nods before moving a bit closer and grabbing her left hand to put it on his shoulder while taking her right hand into his left and placing his right hand on her back.

“Is this okay?” he asks nervously and she nods. “Just follow my lead, okay?” she nods again as they start swaying to the music. “See, you’re a natural,” he compliments her just in time for her to step on his toes.

“Sorry, I told you I can’t dance,” she whispers.

“It’s fine. Just listen to the music and let it take over,” he instructs and it take a moment but he thinks that she has it figured out.

“You look beautiful, by the way. Purple is a great color on you,” he can’t help himself and it makes her blush. “I hope that wasn’t inappropriate?” she just shakes her head and he sighs in relief.

“You look really handsome yourself,” she admits and he feels his cheeks burn.

They spend the rest of the night dancing, eating and laughing and for a moment he forgets that she is a subordinate and he forgets the predicament they are in that he has yet to present to her.

“Do you want me to walk you back to your hotel room?” he asks when she starts rubbing her aching feet, clearly ready to leave and she nods.

The hotel lobby is quite chilly, making her shiver, so he shrugs off his jacket and puts it over her shoulders.

“And they say chivalry is dead,” Vic teases him as the ride the elevator up to her room.

When they arrive at her door he asks her if she wants to postpone their talk but she tells him that she rather wants to take care of it right away so he follows her inside and makes himself comfortable on a chair while she sits down on her bed.

She asks him what he was able to find out and he takes a deep breath and steels himself for what he is about to tell her. He explains that somehow, out of all the chapels, they managed to find the one that came with a marriage license and that they were in fact legally married. She looks devastated when he explains to her that they will have to go through a divorce and it breaks his heart.

“I was never the girl to dream of her wedding but I definitely didn’t think I would be marrying my much older boss while completely wasted and then not remember the wedding or the wedding night. And I will be divorced before I’m even thirty. This is just so freaking awesome,” she huffs and he understands her frustration.

“At least it’s your first divorce. It will be my third,” he tells her as he puts his head in his hands.

“I’m sorry. This is not your fault. I shouldn’t have freaked out like that,” she apologizes. “Why did they let us get married? Why did they let us sign a damn license? I mean we were so drunk,” Vic wonders.

He explains to her that the sweet old lady, who owns the chapel, thought that they were so perfect for each other and so in love that them being drunk didn’t matter and she didn’t want to stand in the way of true love.

“Is there a video of us getting married?” Hughes asks and Lucas shakes his head.

He hands her the picture instead and she stares at it for a moment. Lucas wonders what she is thinking. He wonders if he should bring up their night together and the marks on his body but he thinks that it might be too much and maybe her room was the wrong place to have that conversation.

“I will call my lawyer as soon as we get back to Seattle and have him draw up divorce papers. You will only need to sign them. It will probably take a few months until it’s official but I promise to take care of it all,” he lets her know. He wants to make this as easy as possible for her. He feels responsible and doesn’t want her to have to worry about anything.

“You know that I don’t need you to protect me. I can take care of myself,” she says defensively.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t,” he sighs.

“Are we having our first fight as a married couple?” she suddenly asks trying to ease the tension and he chuckles.

“Looks like we are,” he says as they both laugh because this whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

“Look, I’m sorry. It’s really sweet that you want to take care of all this and I’m grateful for that. This whole thing is a mess and I really don’t want to lose my job which I love it and I also don’t want you to lose yours. So, I trust you to take care of it and just have me signs whatever needs to be signed and you and your lawyer will just do the rest,” he is glad to hear her say that she trusts him.

She looks exhausted and quite tired which is confirmed when she yawns. He figures it’s best to call it a night. They quickly discuss their flight back to Seattle and realize that they are on the same flight.

He finally gets up from her chair when she yawns again and tells him that she really needs to get some sleep.

“Good night, Hughes,” he says and walks towards the door.

“Good night, Chief,” her hears her voice before leaving her room.


	4. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas spend their last day in Vegas together and bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will take a few liberties in this story as you will notice throughout the chapters.

Vic wakes up to the buzzing of her phone. She curses whoever is calling her this early in the morning. She looks at the caller ID and sighs.

“Travis, it’s 7am on a Sunday. Normal people sleep at this hour,” she groans into her phone.

“Yeah, I don’t care. I want all the details about the other night,” he demands and Vic furrows her forehead in confusion.

“It was a wedding. It was beautiful like any other wedding. What details do you want from that?” she asks.

“Not the wedding. I don’t care about that. I mean the night before the wedding,” and that has Vic’s attention as she sits up in her bed.

“What do you mean the night before?”

“You left me a voicemail. Come on, Vic, I need the details.”

“What did I say?” she wonders.

“Were you really that wasted that you can’t remember?” Travis chuckles.

“Yeah, I was. So tell me what did I say and don’t leave anything out,” she demands.

“Oh-kay. I mean you were really drunk so some of it didn’t make much sense and was hard to understand because you were slurring quite a bit but you said something about your new hobby being the boss,” Vic’s breath hitches. “You talked about not being able to keep your hands off of your new hobby. Actually now that I think about it, you called him your new hobby quite a lot,” Vic is pretty sure that she wasn’t calling him her new hobby but her new hubby.

“What else did I say?”

“Well, I mean you went into detail about how good he was with his tongue even while drunk and that he treated your lady business like an “all you can eat” buffet,” Travis chuckles as Vic’s cheeks burn. “You said that everyone should be that lucky to have a hobby like that. You did also mention how well endowed he was,” Vic blushes some more at that, remembering that she didn’t get a peek at his front the other night when she dared to look underneath the sheets and she has no idea how she will be able to look her boss in the eyes again after what Travis had just told her.

“Where was he when I called you?” Vic wonders.

“Oh, you basically told me how you two fucked each other into a coma and he needed a nap and the only reason you were still awake was because you were younger than him,” Vic sighs. “I gotta say I’m impressed and shocked but also slightly jealous. He sounds like a keeper. Are you going to see him again?” Travis wonders.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Vic mutters under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. We will see.”

“I hope it works out because you really sounded like you like the guy.”

“Why would you say that?” Vic wants to know.

“I don’t know. You sounded so affectionate every time you called him your hobby which I still think is weird to call a guy your hobby but I will just blame it on the alcohol.”

“Was there anything else?”

“Yeah, you said something about wanting to spend the rest of your night with him, or maybe it was the rest of your life, I don’t know it was kinda hard to understand. Then I heard someone groaning in the background, you mumbled something about him waking up and getting up on that again and then you just hung up.”

“Please tell me you didn’t delete that voicemail.”

“And miss out on the chance to tease you with it for the rest of your life? Of course I didn’t delete it. I ain’t that stupid.”

There is silence on the phone.

“Vic, are you still there? Is everything okay?”

“What? Yeah, of course. Everything is fine. Travis, I gotta go. I will talk to you when I get back,” she doesn’t even let him say goodbye before hanging up.

She knows there is no way she will be able to fall back asleep, so she changes into her bathing suit and decides to go for a swim. It always help her to clear her head.

She finds the pool empty and is glad because she needs the quiet right now. She dives into the water and swims her laps, concentrating on her breathing and thinking about what Travis had just told her. A part of her couldn’t believe that her and Ripley were that into each other and then there was the other part that realized that he was a good looking guy and just because he was her boss and older than her didn’t mean that they didn’t have things in common and maybe hit it off. She shakes those thoughts from her mind, stops swimming and just lets her body float on the water enjoying the peace and quiet.

\----------

Lucas wakes up from a dreamless sleep, rubbing his eyes and as he checks the time he realizes that it’s still early but he doesn’t feel like staying in bed so he decides to go for a swim - it always helps him clear his mind. He puts on his swim trunks and makes his way to the pool. He finds it empty with the exception of one person, a woman doing laps and Lucas has to admit she is in great shape. She is wearing a yellow swimsuit that looks beautiful against her caramel skin and Lucas admires her for a moment, the way she seems to be one with the water like a mermaid. He doesn’t know how long he just stands there, staring until she stops swimming and just floats in the pool and Lucas realizes that it’s Hughes.

He calls her name several times but she doesn’t seem to hear him or maybe she is ignoring him on purpose but Lucas needed to talk to her and it just couldn’t wait any longer. He goes into the water and swims to where she is floating. He gently taps her on the shoulder and it startles her, her legs and arms thrashed around wildly as she goes under and Lucas reacts immediately and pulls her up, steading her.

“Hughes, it’s okay. You’re okay. It’s just me,” he reassures her as he rubs her shoulders while she coughs and tries to catch her breath. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you okay?”

She coughs some more and finally lifts her head to meet his gaze, breathing heavily. He doesn’t think when one hand reaches up to brush the hair from her forehead while the other one still holds onto her to keep her steady.

“Are you okay?” he repeats and she finally nods.

“You can let go of me now,” she snaps and he drops his hands immediately as if burned. 

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you or touch you or...” he sighs in defeat. “I’m just sorry.”

He swims towards the edge of the pool and lifts himself out of the water and grabs his towel. He watches her do the same. He would help her but not with the way she just snapped at him. He keeps his distance.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you. I had a weird morning,” she explains and sits on one of the chairs. She motions for him to sit down as well but he hesitates. “Please, just sit down. It’s weird with you just standing there like that.”

He exhales and finally sits down on the chair next to her.

“I actually wanted to talk to you and I’m sorry for not bringing it up last night but there was already so much to take in and I’m not sure if it’s the right time to bring it up now but it’s important,” he says and she just nods.

“Okay. What is it?”

“It’s about our night together. I’m just wondering...” he pauses, has no idea how to bring his up.

“I’m on birth control and I’m clean,” she blurts out.

“Oh, yeah, good. I’m clean, too. That’s good but that wasn’t what I wanted to ask,” she looks at him in confusion. “I noticed the bite mark and scratches on my body,” her cheeks turn bright red and she looks away. “I know you can’t remember but I need to know if there is any chance at all that I hurt you or at any point forced myself on you,” her head snaps back and she stares at him in shock.

“What? Oh my god, no. No, no, no. Definitely not,” she insists and that should make him feel better but it doesn’t.

“How can you be sure?”

“Um,...” she starts but stops again.

“Do you remember anything?” Lucas wonders.

“No, I don’t but...” she trails off again.

“Then how can you be sure?” he repeats.

“Apparently I called my best friend that night while you were napping,” she refuses to look at him as she is blushing from the tips of her ears to the bottom of her neck and that’s when he notices the hickey on her collarbone and his cheeks burn as well. “Um, I don’t want to go into detail here because this whole thing is already embarrassing enough as it is, so you don’t need to know what I told him exactly but just know that I was a willing, enthusiastic and very consenting partner and very much wanted and enjoyed myself that night. The scratches, bite mark and hickeys all happened in the throes of passion as some might call it,” she finishes, still not meeting his gaze.

“Hickeys?” is the first thing that comes out of his mouth and he kicks himself mentally but it gets him her attention as she looks at him and chuckles.

“This is what you got from all this?” she teases and he laughs.

“Sorry, you don’t have to answer that,” he assures her and she nods.

“You left three of them. Thankfully no one will be able to see them underneath the uniform,” she answers and looks at his shoulder before bringing her hand up to touch the spot where she bit him. He can’t help himself and hisses, making her drop her hand immediately. “Oh my god, does it still hurt?” he chuckles and she realizes that he was just teasing her and punches him in the shoulder.

“Ow!” he exclaims.

“You deserved that, you jerk. I thought that I had seriously hurt you,” she punches him again, a little bit harder this time and he rubs the spot.

“Well, you are hurting me now,” he pouts and she just shrugs.

“Like I said, you deserve it,” she sticks her tongue out and laughs and it’s the most childish yet the most endearing thing he has ever seen and he can’t help but laugh.

“Do you want to have breakfast with me?” he asks suddenly and she just nods.

\----------

They meet twenty minutes later in the breakfast room. Vic is dressed in a beautiful pink summer dress while Ripley is wearing dark blue shorts and a light blue t-shirt that brings out the blue of his eyes. Vic can’t help but stare.

“Do I have something on my face?” he wonders when he catches her staring and she just shakes her head.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize how blue your eyes were,” she shrugs and sits down at the first available table she sees. He sits down across from her and smiles.

He is about to say something when they are interrupted by a waiter. A big guy with red hair and a beard. His name tag says Cam.

“Ah, the Ripley’s. I was wondering what happened to the two of you. You probably didn’t leave your room the entire day with how you ignored everything and everyone after I pronounce you husband and wife. You two were so eager. You know, I was a bit hesitant at first because you two were really drunk but my mother was right, you two are relationship goals. I’m so glad that I could be a part of your love story,” he tells them happily and Vic just stares at him in shock. “Oh, you are probably wondering what I’m doing here. This is kinda my day job and I perform weddings at night,” he explains, still smiling at them. “You have all kinds of things at the breakfast buffet. If there is anything else you need, please let me know,” he smiles and walks away.

Vic just stares after him in shock.  _ What the hell did just happen? _ , she wonders.

“What was that?” she asks Ripley.

“Apparently, that was Cam, the son of the owner of Astro Chapel and the guy that married us.”

“I got that. What the hell happened that night?” she sighs.

“I wish I knew. All I’m hearing from everyone is that we supposedly were really into each other and it appears as if we are relationship goals.”

“I don’t know about you but I think I need a drink.”

“Isn’t alcohol what got us into this mess in the first place?” he tries to lighten the mood but instead earns himself a glare.

“I’m gonna go and get some food. I’ll be right back,” he watches her as she grabs a plate and fills it with eggs, pancakes and bacon then grabs a second plate and fills it with waffles and fresh fruits and then walks back to their table and sits back down again, both plates obviously for her. He looks at her with raised eyebrows.

“What? Just because we are married doesn’t mean you can’t go and grab your own breakfast,” she retorts before digging into her pancakes, making him chuckle.

They spend breakfast in comfortable silence. Vic ends up eating five full plates because she is just so hungry while Ripley only has two but they both drink three cups of coffee, so they have that in common.

“So, our flight is at 9pm. What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Ripley asks.

“I don’t really have any,” she replies as she drowns her coffee and gets up to get another one. She gets one for him as well and sets it on their table. 

“Didn’t you say that just because we are married you aren’t going to go grab stuff for me,” he teases.

“Well, I can drink it myself if you don’t want it,” she replies, attempting to grab his mug but he is faster.

“Thank you, Hughes,” he smiles at her and she can’t help but smile back. “So, um, do you want to hang out...with me for the rest of the day before spending another 3 hours together on a plane back home?” he asks shyly and it’s weird to see him like that. He always seems to confident.

“I’m surprised that you are not sick and tired of me by now,” she counters.

“I like your company. I like… you,” he states.

Vic swallows and looks away from him, muttering “Spice”.

“Excuse me?” he looks confused.

“What? No. Oh, nothing. No, I wasn't -- Just, uh -- oh, what'd you say?” she stutters.

“I didn't say anything.” 

“Me neither.”

“No?” he wonders.

“No. Mm.” she shakes her head.

“Huh. Okay,” he smiles and his eyes land on her lips for just a second before looking back into her eyes. 

“Okay,” she smiles and licks her lips. “Oh, I just remembered that I promised to bring souvenirs for my team, so if you want to tag along you are more than welcome,” she tells him and he simply shrugs.

They go back up to their rooms to pack the rest of their things and meet up an hour later at the reception to check out. The hotel happily agrees to store their luggage while they are out while they both agree that they want to be at the airport around 7pm.

\----------

Shopping with Hughes is interesting. She is bubbly, sarcastic and funny and Lucas really enjoys her company. She definitely brings life and color into his rather boring life. 

He watches as she goes from shop to shop to pick up souvenirs for her team from 19 while he holds her shopping bags like any good husband would and he can’t help but be envious with the way she talks about her colleagues. He can tell that they are close and she has only been with them for a little over a year. Lucas misses that type of camaraderie.

“What about you, sir?” he hears her ask, interrupting his thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Hughes. What was that?”

“I was asking if you are going to get anything for your friends?”

“Oh, I...” he pauses.

“I mean you do have friends? Or a family that might want some presents from this trip?”

“I guess I could get something for Sully and Deb,” he answers and she raises an eyebrow obviously wondering who he is talking about. “I mean Captain Sullivan from 42 and Battalion Chief Frankel,” he explains and she nods.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met Captain Sullivan but I do know Chief Frankel,” she makes a face.

“You don’t like her much, do you?” Lucas wonders.

“What? No. That’s not it. She… I guess she is okay but she can be a bit opinionated, I guess,” Lucas nods. “I mean, sometimes I think she is way stricter with the female firefighters in her Battalion than the male firefighters and it’s not like I expect her to cut me some slack just because we are both women but...” she pauses. “I just sometimes feel like she wants to punish us because we have it easier than she did when she started out and I guess, I just think that’s kinda unfair of her.”

It probably shouldn’t surprise Lucas that she is so open and honest with him because he gets that vibe from her but he is still a bit surprised at  _ how _ honest she is.

“I’m sorry, sir. She is your friend and I just -- I didn’t mean to make her look bad or complain about her, sir,” she defends herself.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s kinda refreshing to have someone talk openly and honestly without holding back. When you are the chief, people tend to pretend to be someone they are not and with you it’s “what you see is what you get” and I admire that,” he smiles at her and she smiles back.

“So, we established that you have friends. What about family? You said you were married twice. Any kids?”

“No kids. I felt too young for kids with my first wife and my second wife didn’t want them which I only found out after we were married,” he tells her sadly.

“Oh, that must suck. So, you do want kids?”

“I mean, I’m not the youngest anymore. I’ve kinda resigned myself to never having them but if I do find the right one and she wants to have children I would definitely be game,” Lucas finds it incredibly easy to talk to her and he doesn’t think he has ever opened up to anyone about this other than his sister Jennifer. “What about you?”

“No kids or ex-husbands...” he raises an eyebrow “...yet.”

“I’m sorry about that,” he apologizes again.

“Hey, you turned into Ross Geller thanks to me so I think we are even,” she teases and he laughs.

“Were you even alive when Friends aired,” he wonders and she laughs.

“I think I was like four but I have seen the show.”

“So that means you are twenty-eight now, right?” she nods. “I’m such a cliche being married to a woman fifteen years younger than me,” he shakes his head at himself.

“Hey, we both are. I’m married to my bosses bosses boss,” she shrugs and it helps to lighten the mood because they both realize how ridiculous everything is.

“What about your family? Do they live in Seattle?” Lucas wants to know.

“Oh, no. I’m from New York originally. I moved to Seattle nine years ago after my parents died. No siblings.”

“I’m really sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks. It was a long time ago. We were really close and it really hurt losing them because it was just the three of us and I had to figure out living on my own. I hate to admit it but as an only child, so I was kinda spoiled and then they were just gone and I had to take care of myself. I stayed in New York for their funeral and then just packed up my things and left. I wanted to go to L.A. but made a stop in Seattle first and fell in love with it and decided to start a new life there,” he just nods not sure what to say. He can sympathize with her.

“My parents died, too when I was in college. My sister Jennifer was twelve so I had to be her brother and parents at the same time,” he blurts out and only his best friend Sully knows about this because he was there when it happened.

“Oh, wow. That must have been tough,” he nods as she reaches for his hand and squeezes it.

“Okay, how about that drink you were talking about during breakfast,” he suggests and she laughs.

“I could go for a fruity cocktail,” she smiles. “Follow me, I know just the place.”

He does as told and follows her to a little cocktail bar. They each have one drink before it’s time to wrap up their little shopping tour. Lucas even manages to find something for Deb, Sully and his sister Jennifer. 

\----------

They arrive at the airport at 6:30pm and manage to get checked in and through security in less than an hour. Vic is glad that it all goes off without a hitch.

They find a little diner to to grab some dinner at, order burgers and just talk and Vic finds it both nice but also in some way unnerving how easy it is to talk to him. Earlier she had told him about her family and she hadn’t even told Travis about them and he was supposed to be her best friend. She often had a hard time to open up to people yet with Ripley she had no problem whatsoever. She thinks that maybe it’s the situation. She finds it easier to open up to him because he is practically a stranger and she doesn’t feel like he’s going judge her and even though they work together she won’t have to see him every single day once they come home like with the people from 19.

“What are you thinking about? Spice?” he teases, making her chuckle.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No, just wondering what you are thinking about, that’s all,” he asks sincerely.

“I was just thinking how I had a really great day today.”

“You sound surprised,” he says, hurt evident in his voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just...”

“I get it, I’m the boss. People don’t usually have fun with their boss.”

“I guess they don’t but what I mean is that there is more to you than Chief Ripley,” she says and he looks at her curiously. “You are more than just your title and your job. So yeah, I was surprised that I had so much fun with you today but I shouldn’t have been because you are a good guy and I shouldn’t have judged you based on a job title,” she explains and he smile genuinely. 

“Thank you, Hughes. I think that’s the nicest thing I have heard in a while.”

“Well, I gotta make sure that you’ll always remember me as your favorite ex-wife,” she jokes and he laughs.

“You are definitely the nicest one,” he tells her and she smiles proudly.

“Should we head to our gate. I think we are boarding soon,” he asks and she nods and is about to pay for her food but he insists that it’s on him and she can tell that arguing with him would be pointless, so she lets him pay.

They board and take their seats, two rows apart but it’s not a problem.They had just spend the entire day with each other. They don’t need to sit together on their way back home as well.

Vic makes herself comfortable in her seat and grabs her bag to look for her headphones when something falls out of it. It’s the wedding photo and Vic can’t help but look at it. She traces it with her finger and smiles. It’s a really great photo.

“Oh my, you two got married and you aren’t sitting together?” the older woman next to her says.

“Oh, that is totally fine,” she assures her.

“Such a lovely looking couple and I can tell how in love you two are,” the lady smiles and before Vic can say anything, she has already unbuckled her seatbelt and is on her way to Ripley and basically dragging him out of his seat, so he can go to sit next to his lovely wife.

Vic can’t help but chuckle when Ripley looks at her confused.

“What did just happen?” he asks her before his eyes land on the wedding photo in her hands. “Oh, you still have it?” he asks surprised.

“Yeah, it was in my bag. I totally forgot about it. She saw it and insisted on the newlyweds sitting together,” she explains and he just nods. “I will get rid of the photo once we get home,” she assures him.

“Oh, I didn’t mean that you have to throw it away. I was just surprised.”

“I mean it is a nice photo,” Vic shrugs.

“I guess it is,” he smiles.

\----------

Half an hour into the flight, Hughes had surrendered to sleep, curled up in her seat, her head on his shoulder. Lucas can tell that she is cold by the way she is shivering.

“Excuse me?” he stops one of the flight attendants.

“What can I do for you, sir?” she asks with a smile.

“Is it possible to get a blanket for my, um, for my wife?” 

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

She hands him a blanket a minute later and he puts it over her sleeping form.

“Thank you, hubby,” he hears her say and he knows it shouldn’t but it warms his heart. He thinks that under different circumstances this might have worked out. They did get along and apparently had chemistry that everyone seemed to notice.

Lucas knows that his life is rather lonely and for the first time in forever he didn’t feel lonely at all. He thinks that maybe once this whole mess is cleared up and the divorce is through he can start dating again. Maybe if he was more open like with Hughes he could find a woman that was willing to share her life with him.

He sighs as he looks down at his sleeping “wife” and part of him wishes that third time’s the charm, he just doesn’t know if it’s because of Victoria Hughes herself or just because he came to the conclusion that he was really lonely and didn’t want to be divorced for a third time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sullivan is the Captain of 42 (he is still married to Claire and him and Ripley never had a falling out) which means Pruitt is still the Captain of 19. This story is before the pilot.


	5. On Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas see each other for the first time since returning back to Seattle and things get heated. Literally!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for reading and the kudos and commenting. It means so much. I'm having so much with this story.
> 
> I promise I will update my other stories as well but this one is my priority right now because the ideas just keep coming.

Lucas is sitting in his house, a glass of scotch in his hand, and he hates the quiet. He used to like it but now all he wants is to have someone around to keep him company. He wonders whether or not he should get a dog or a cat but with his work schedule that was probably a bad idea. The poor animal wouldn’t survive a week.

He had just talked to his lawyer who had told him that the divorce papers were still not ready and that it could take from six to eight weeks, possibly longer, and that frustrated Lucas to no end. He hated waiting for this mess to be fixed. He hated that the longer this thing took the higher the chances of someone finding out and him and Hughes getting into real trouble for their stupidity.

_ Hughes _ , he thinks. He hadn’t seen or heard from her since saying goodbye to her at the airport three weeks ago. They had agreed to only contact each other in a case of emergency and otherwise ignore what had happened in Vegas. Lucas had promised to let her know the moment the divorce papers were ready to be signed. He had managed to avoid going to 19 but he couldn’t do that forever. His monthly chief’s meeting with Captain Herrera was due next week and there was no way around it. He couldn’t send someone else in to do that for him. As he thinks of the meeting he can’t help but wonder how he managed to never noticed her when he visited 19 in the past. Had he really been that blind to miss someone as gorgeous as Victoria Hughes or was he just so focused on his job that he didn’t see anything else?

He sighs as his phone rings and brings him back to reality. He picks up to find his best friend on the other end.

“Sully, what can I do for you?” he asks bluntly.

“Nice to hear your voice, too, Luke,” his friend teases.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound rude. I have a lot on my mind.”

“Anything I can help you with?” Sully wonders.

“Um, I don’t think so.”

“You do know that you can talk to me about whatever it is, right? I’m your best friend after all.”

“I know that, Sully. It’s just something I have to deal with on my own,” he assures him.

“Alright. So, the reason I’m calling is to confirm you for tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Lucas asks and can hear his friend groan in frustration.

“You’re the Fire Chief and forgot that tomorrow is the Annual Firefighter’s BBQ that I have the honor of organizing this year?” he tells him and Lucas winces because he had totally forgotten about it.

“Was I supposed to bring something?” he wonders and he can see Sullivan rolling his eyes.

“As I said just a moment ago, I’m organizing it so you only have to bring yourself. Claire and Bobby Jr. can’t wait to see you again. She says you work too much and don’t spend enough time with your friends.”

“Oh, is that what she says?”

“Yeah. She also thinks you should start dating again or you will die alone,” Lucas chuckles at that.

“Who knows maybe there already is someone in my life and you just don’t know about her yet?” Lucas answers jokingly.

“I just hope she is real and not a figment of your imagination,” Sully teases and Lucas doesn’t know what to say to this. He can’t possibly tell him about Vegas. “Luke, are you still there?”

“Yeah, sorry. There is no one. You know I’m too busy with work for dates. Some of us are just not cut out for happily ever after like you and Claire.”

“I’m not saying that you have to get married right away but at least go on a few dates. You may end up finding someone you like,” his friend suggests.

“Yeah, I can’t do that right now. Can we just change the subject?” 

“Sure. Can you just maybe think about it?” he pleads with him.

“Sure. I’ll consider it. Look, I have things to do. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Of course. See you tomorrow, Luke.”

Lucas hangs up, drowns the rest of his drink before going upstairs to take a shower and calling it a night. If he has to be at the barbecue all day long tomorrow, he needs to be rested. He realizes that Hughes was probably going be there too and he can’t decide whether he was excited about it and dreading it. A part of him wants to see her, wonders if maybe she had remembered anything from that night that is still a mystery to him. 

\----------

It had been three weeks since Vegas and she still hadn’t heard from Ripley. Vic laughs at the fact that right now she is the First Lady of the Fire Department without anyone knowing about it and that soon she would be divorced for the first time without actually having experienced a marriage. She had remembered parts of their night together after listening to the voicemail and it made her blush and incredibly horny because the Vic on the phone, even though really drunk, sounded quite happy and satisfied and she couldn’t help but imagine him when she pleasured herself at night because the sex really had been that good. Too bad that he was her boss and it wasn’t going to happen ever again. 

She sighs as Travis joins her in the beanery bringing her back to reality.

“Hey, what’s up with you? I have been calling your name forever. Is this still about the guy from Vegas?” he wonders as she nods. “ You know what you need? You need to get laid. You should find yourself someone to go home with tomorrow at the barbecue.”

“What barbecue?” Vic wonders.

“The Annual Firefighter’s BBQ. I’m sorry I forgot that you missed that last year. It’s amazing. You have all the firehouses there, well everyone that is not on call, and all the stations have their own little booth set up to grill and the people from the neighborhoods can just come and mingle with the firefighters and eat all the food and it’s so good. That’s actually how I met Michael,” Travis says with sadness in his voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Travis.”

“It’s okay. I mean, I miss him but it’s a good memory and I like going there because it kinda makes me feel closer to him if that makes sense,” he explains and Vic smiles while squeezing his hand.

“It really does sound like fun. Maybe it will help me get my mind off of things.”

“Captain Sullivan from 42 is organizing it this year,” Travis says and Vic freezes. She remembers that name. “He makes the best smoothies. You totally have to stop by his booth and get one. Oh and he is best friends with the Chief, so Ripley will probably show up as well.”

_ Fuck _ , Vic thinks. Maybe she shouldn’t go after all.

“Relax. Ripley is totally laid back at that thing. He is like one of us,” he chuckles and Vic tries to smile but she can’t help the dread. What if she runs into him? What if she says or does something that will give them away? But if she doesn’t show up she will have to explain things to her team and she fears that she may slip up and reveal things she wasn’t supposed to reveal. She would just have to suck it up and deal with it like an adult. Chances were that their paths wouldn’t cross anyway and Vic would just make sure not to go to Sullivan’s booth.

\----------

The barbecue is in full swing when Vic arrives and it’s huge. Vic sighs in relief because she doubts that she will run into Ripley unless he seeks her out which she doesn’t think he will. 

The weather is warm, so Vic opted for cute shorts and a tank top, her hair is up in two braids and there is no trace of makeup on her face. She finds her team’s booth easily and greets her friends while setting the two pies she made last night down onto the table.

“Vic, finally. I was worried you wouldn’t show,” Travis hugs her and she hugs him back. “You know you didn’t have to bring anything,” he says as he tries to get a taste of the pies but Vic slaps his hand away.

“That’s not for you and I wanted to contribute something. Plus, I really like baking,” she explains as she sits down next to Maya. “So, what happens next?”

“Well, the Captain already started the grill and we’ll set everything up together. When we are done, we rotate. One of us stays and helps the Captain while the others can go and explore and mingle and then we just switch after an hour or so,” Maya explains.

“Sounds good to me. Let’s get to work then,” Vic says as she stands up and walks over to the table to start on the vegetables.

Less than an hour later, they have everything set up and Vic decides to stay with Captain Pruitt.

“Thank you for the help, Victoria,” Pruitt tells her and she smiles. She likes the captain. “Is everything alright?” he asks.

“Yeah. I was just thinking about my dad. You actually remind me of him. I miss him and my mom especially on a day like today when I see all the families together, laughing and having fun,” Pruitt gives her a sympathetic smile and squeezes her arm.

“I know what it’s like missing a loved one. I miss my wife every single day but then I look at Andrea and I’m glad that I got a piece of my wife still with me and I have all of you to keep me on my toes,” he chuckles. “You are all like my children.”

“Thank you, Captain. That’s very sweet of you to say.”

“You’re welcome, Victoria.”

It’s been forty minutes and Vic takes a little break from the grill which was getting a little bit too hot and talks to some of the people from the neighborhood who thank her and the other firefighters for everything they do for them and it warms Vic’s heart to hear that. She became a firefighter to help people and it’s beautiful to see them appreciate it.

“Ms. Firefighter,” she hears a little kid’s voice who is pulling at her shorts to get her attention and as she looks down she finds the cutest little girl with two braids that match hers, wearing a pretty purple dress with daisies in her hand and she is motioning, with her index finger, for Vic to come closer. Vic smiles and crouches in front of her so they are on eye level.

“Hey there, I’m Victoria and what’s your name?”

“I’m Serena, like the tennis player,” she answers proudly and Vic can’t help but chuckle. She is the cutest little thing. “These are for you,” she says as she hands her the flowers.

“For me? Really?” Vic takes them and smiles.

“Yes. You are the prettiest firefighter I have ever seen and you look just like me and I want to be a firefighter too when I’m old enough,” her excitement warms Vic’s heart.

“Well, thank you for the flowers and I feel so much safer knowing that you will be a firefighter someday,” Vic replies as the girl opens up her arms to hug her and Vic hugs her back.

She looks up to see the girl’s parents smile at her and mouth a “thank you” before letting go of her.

Vic takes one of the daisies and puts it in the girls braid and does the same with the other daisy.

“Look, mommy. Ms. Victoria and I match now,” Serena smiles as she shows off the flower in her hair.

“I can see that, sweetie. You look beautiful. You both do,” her mother beams at her daughter.

Vic hears someone clear their throat and turns towards the noise.

“I’m really sorry to break this up, sweetheart,” Pruitt looks at Serena, “but I need Victoria to help me with the grill. Is that okay?“ the girl nods sadly.

“I promise I will find you later and we will hang out some more,” Vic tells her.

“Pinky promise?” Serena sticks out her little finger, making Vic chuckle as she hooks her pinky finger with the little girls and nods.

“Pinky promise.”

She watches as Serena and her parents leave and turns to Pruitt.

“I’m really sorry, Victoria. You seemed to really have fun but I need to get something from the truck. I shouldn’t be gone for too long. Just make sure to the turn the meat in about five minutes if I’m still not back,” he instructs and leaves.

“I can do this,” she tells herself and in that very moment suddenly the fire goes out. “What the hell? I didn’t even do anything,” she curses as she looks around and finds the grill torch.

She grabs the torch, turns it on and is about to restart the fire when suddenly she feels a presence behind her that startles her and before she knows it, she is turning around with the burning torch in her hand and the person’s sleeve is on fire.

“OH MY GOD,” she yells horrified as she turns off the torch while the other person is taking off their shirt to put out the flames.

“What the hell is going on here?” Pruitt wants to know as he looks between Vic and Ripley, of course it had to be him.

Vic still looks horrified as she stares at both her bosses and then her team who had arrived just in time to watch her make a fool out of herself by almost setting the Fire Chief on fire. 

_ Oh, the irony _ , she thinks.

“It’s okay. I startled her. It was my fault,” Ripley clarifies and everyone still just stares at them.

“I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t mean for that to happen,” she apologizes as all of this feels very familiar to her. She looks at his arm. “You are hurt,” she realizes.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he assures her.

“I would feel much better if you let me take care of that. I have a first aid kit in my jeep,” she watches him consider it for a moment and Vic thinks she sees something in his eyes but can’t put her finger on what it is. “Please, just to ease my mind,” she repeats and he finally nods.

“I’m sorry, Captain,” she tells Pruitt before walking away with Ripley.

\----------

It’s still fairly early when Lucas arrives at the barbecue, he doesn’t waste much time looking around and goes straight to Sully’s booth. He finds him already at the grill, giving instructions to his team while Claire is sitting on a bench taking care of Bobby Jr., their seven year old son.

“Uncle Luke,” he shouts happily when he sees him and runs towards Lucas to give him a big hug. 

“Kiddo, you really need to stop growing. Soon you will be taller than me and your dad,” he teases him while patting him on the head.

“Uncle Luke, you’re ruining my hair,” he complains and Lucas chuckles.

“Oh, excuse me. Can’t have the ladies see you like that,” he shakes his head as he walks over to Claire to kiss her on the cheek. “What do you feed that kid?”

Claire just laughs before replying. “If you didn’t decline my invitations for dinner every single time you would know.”

“Okay, I deserve that,” Lucas admits as one of Sullivan’s people hands him a beer, looking slightly frightened. “Thank you, Baker,” he says as he takes a sip and sets the bottle on the table.

“I brought some gifts,” Lucas announces as Bobby Jr. jumps up and down with excitement. 

“What is it?” he wants to know as Lucas pulls out a laser sword and watches his godson’s eyes go wide. “Oh my God, look dad. Uncle Luke, got me a laser sword like the one they have in Star Wars. This is so cool,” he grabs the toy and rips the package open and starts playing with it.

“Robert Lucas Sullivan Junior, what do we say when we receive a present?” he hears his best friend reprimand his son who stops playing immediately.

“I’m sorry, dad. Thank you so much, Uncle Lucas. This is the best gift ever,” he hugs him again and Lucas smiles. He loves that kid so much.

“You’re welcome and since I know how much your dad loves Star Wars, I got one for him as well. You can play together,” he winks at Sullivan who just shakes his head at him and laughs.

Lucas takes a small box out of the bag and sits down next to Claire.

“I know that you lost your locket, so I got you a new one. I know it’s not your mother’s but I hope you still like it,” she gasps as he puts it around her neck and she pulls him in for a hug.

“Thank you, Lucas. It’s beautiful,” she says as she opens it and finds pictures of her husband and son in it. “You know you are so thoughtful and sweet with me and with our boy. You would make an excellent husband and father.”

  
“My ex-wives would disagree with you,” he jokes.

“Well, your ex-wives didn’t appreciate or deserve you. Somewhere out there is someone that does and you need to open your eyes and let her in,” Lucas can’t help but to think of Hughes. He did let her in, more than anyone else. “And don’t give me the excuse with your job. You are the damn chief. You can’t go higher than that. It’s time to concentrate on your love life and find someone you can share your life with,” she finishes and squeezes his hand.

Lucas smiles at her and stands up.

“I’m gonna go and take a look around,” he tells them.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Lucas. I won’t talk about it anymore. You don’t have to leave,” Claire stops him with sadness in her eyes.

“That’s not why I’m leaving. You are right,” he says and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

“Wait, I am?” he just nods amused. “Who are you and what have you done to the real Chief Ripley?” she teases him and Lucas can’t help but chuckle as he leans in and kisses her other cheek. 

“I love you, Claire,” he tells her and earns himself a glare from his best friend.

“Go and find yourself your own woman because this one is already taken,” Sullivan says as he walks over to his wife and kisses her on the lips.

“Ew, mom, dad, stop that! We are in public,” they hear Bobby Jr. complain, making everyone laugh.

Lucas wanders around the booths, talks to the captains there and just mingles with his firefighters and the civilians. It feels nice to be outside and surrounded by people. He thinks of what Claire had just said to him and he knows that she is right and once again his thoughts drift to Victoria Hughes. He can’t help but hate the fact that he is her boss. He wonders if he had a chance with her if he wasn’t her boss. Would she be interested in dating him or was the age difference too much for her? They did get along and even had things in common but was that enough for her to want to actually be with him? He shakes those thoughts as he just wanders around until his eyes land on her, Victoria Hughes.

He watches her with a little girl, no older than five, and he feels like his heart is about to burst at the sight. Hughes is a natural with kids, it seems. The little girl is completely smitten with her and that feeling is not foreign to Lucas Ripley.

Lucas watches as the girl hands Hughes a couple of daisies which she puts in both their braids. He can’t help but smile when he watches her pinky promise something to the little girl before she takes off with her parents.

As Captain Herrera walks away from the booth as well, Lucas decided to go and visit his “wife” who he hasn’t seen in over three weeks. He comes closer not realizing that she is handling a grill torch and startles her with his presence and before he knows it his sleeve has caught fire and Hughes is looking horrified while he is putting out the flames.

“What the hell is going on here?” he hears Captain Herrera ask as he just looks at Hughes who still looks horrified.

“It’s okay. I startled her. It was my fault,” he explains as he remembers some things from that forgotten night.

“I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t mean for that to happen,” she apologizes and looks at his arm. “You are hurt,” she says and looks at his arm and in all the madness he hadn’t even realized that she had not just burned his shirt but also his flesh.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he assures her.

“I would feel much better if you let me take care of that. I have a first aid kit in my jeep,” she pleads and with how she is looking at him, Lucas is sure that some of her memory has come back as well. “Please, just to ease my mind,” she repeats and he finally nods.

“I’m sorry, Captain,” she tells Pruitt before they walk towards her car.

They keep a safe distance until they are finally in front of her red jeep. Lucas sighs in relief as he realizes that they are out of sight from the rest of the Fire Department. She opens the trunk and motions for him to sit down while she looks for the first aid kid. When she finally finds it, she cleans his wound and puts a bandage on it and just stares at him apologetically.

“You know, I’m starting to think that you don’t like me very much,” he teases as she furrows her forehead in confusion. “That’s the second time you set me on fire,” he clarifies and watches as her eyebrows shoot up and he can’t help but chuckle.

“Oh my God, you remember?” she finally speaks as Lucas nods. “This is so embarrassing,” she says as she hides her face behind her hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They remember a part from their night and I originally wanted to write it in this chapter but figured I'll leave that for the next one. It's gonna be hilarious and hot.


	6. I Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas remember parts of their night in Vegas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again everyone for the kudos and comments and for reading and enjoying this story.
> 
> As mentioned before I will probably not update my other work for the time being and concentrate on finishing this one up first.

It has been a long and stressful day for Vic, what with helping to plan a wedding and stuff but for some reason she isn’t tired at all which she attributes to her work where she sometimes spends 24 hours without sleep and is still wide awake at the end of it and ready to party. She had said goodnight to Naomi, who had told her to get some rest for the big day, but there was no way that Vic could actually go to sleep because she was ready to mingle, maybe even find herself a last minute date for the wedding tomorrow or at least someone to scratch that itch since it had been months since the last time she had sex. 

She raids the minibar until she feels slightly tipsy before getting up from the bed to put on her new cream colored satin dress that hugs her curves perfectly, shows off her caramel skin and a nice amount of cleavage. She decides to go without a bra, thinks that maybe she should skip the panties too but decides that maybe that would be too much or well, too little. She looks into the mirror and smiles. She loves the way the dress feels against her skin and knows that it will turn a few heads. She puts on some strappy heels and her favorite red lipstick and leaves her room a moment later, ready for a new adventure.

She manages to make it downstairs without tripping and finds a seat at the bar. She notes that it’s not very busy which the bartender explains as it still being too early. He seems like a nice guy, nice to look at too but then he starts talking about his boyfriend and Vic knows that she definitely won’t be going home with him tonight. She has a couple of shots of vodka, her favorite and orders a fancy cocktail. The bartender tells her that it can take a while but she doesn’t mind since she has the vodka to keep her company.

She just sits there and watches as he mixes her drink when out of the corner of her eye she sees someone, tall and blond, wearing a tux, walk towards her and of course he has to plop down right next to her even though all the other seats are still available but Vic doesn’t mind as his spicy cologne hits her nostrils and she breathes him in. He orders a scotch with a voice as smooth as silk which could make anyone’s panties drop including her own. She is glad that decided to wear some. She can tell that he is tipsy as well which should probably make flirting a little bit easier with them both under the influence. She takes a deep breath, ready to eventually take him up to her room, turns in her barstool, trying to look as sexy and elegant as possible but instead knocks over the glass that the bartender had just set down in front of her and it goes flying all over the stranger’s white dress shirt. Now, if it had been a simple drink that wouldn’t have been a problem at all but Vic had ordered one of those flaming cocktails that she had always wanted to try and now her good-smelling stranger wasn’t only drenched in alcohol but his sleeve had also caught on fire.

“Oh my God,” Vic yells as she watches the bartender put out the flames like he had done this sort of thing before. Vic is pretty sure he has. She stares at the scene in front of her and is absolutely mortified. “Are you okay?” she asks the stranger as he chuckles.

“I can already see the news, Fire Chief set on fire by gorgeous woman in bar,” he laughs and Vic finally gets a good look at his face and she realizes that it’s not just any Fire Chief, it’s her Fire Chief. Well, not  _ her _ chief but the Fire Chief of the Seattle Fire Department and therefore her boss or more like her bosses' boss' boss. 

“Are you okay?” he asks her this time and Vic laughs because was he seriously asking her if she was okay after she had just set him on fire?

“I’m so sorry, Chief,” she apologizes and he smiles.

“It’s okay. I’m still alive. And please, call me Lucas,” he says, holding out his hand for her to shake and she does nervously, feeling the electricity run through her body the moment their hands touch. He must feel it too because suddenly his eyes are dark and he swallows hard while still holding onto her hand.

“I’m Victoria, but everyone calls me Vic,” she answers and licks her lips. 

“I think I prefer Victoria,” he whispers as he finally lets go of her hand, making her miss the feel of it instantly.

“I’m really sorry for setting you on fire. That is so embarrassing,” she says as she hides behind her hands but he doesn’t let her as he takes her hands back into his own.  _ He really has nice hands _ , Vic thinks. She wonders what those hands would feel like all over her body.

“Believe it or not, it’s actually the highlight of my day. There are worse things than being set on fire by a beautiful woman,” he stares into her eyes and she swears that he is staring into her soul.

“Didn’t you call me gorgeous just a moment ago?” she corrects him looking smug, making him chuckle.

“Oh right, excuse me. You’re gorgeous, Victoria. Of course you are,” he winks and Vic feels her cheeks burn as she looks down to not let him see how much this is affecting her. She really shouldn’t be flirting with her boss but she had enough to drink to not care who he is and he is obviously flirting back and doesn’t seem to care either.

“You know I can fix this,” she suddenly says as she looks at his ruined dress shirt. She drops his hands and starts going through her purse, pulling out several items from it and setting them on the counter, including a wedding band.

“Oh, you are married?” she hears the disappointment in his voice and looks up at him in confusion.

“What? No, I’m not. Why would you think that?” she wonders as he takes the ring in his hand. “Oh, that belongs to my best friend who is getting married tomorrow. I’m her mermaid,” Vic slurs proudly and Ripley chuckles.

“You mean bridesmaid?” he corrects her amused.

“That’s what I said, mermaid,” she repeats and giggles like a little girl. “I can’t lose the ring or Naomi will kill me,” she explains. “Put it on my finger,” she instructs as she wiggles her ringfinger. 

“What?”

“Put the ring on my finger,” she repeats, still wiggling her finger. Ripley just stares at her amused before doing as told.

“Thank you,” she says before going back to rummaging through her little purse, pulling out a piece of paper that she hands him.

“This is very important. Put it somewhere safe so you don’t lose it,” she orders him and goes back to her purse and pulls out a second ring. “Give me your hand,” she says and puts the other ring on his finger and smiles satisfied. “It’s a perfect fit,” she giggles again before finally finding what she was looking for. She puts her stuff back into her purse and turns towards him, holding a business card between her fingers.

“What’s this?” he wonders.

“There is this amazing store with men’s wear like tuxedos and dress shirts. All the groomsmen from my friends wedding bought their stuff there. They are still open. Let’s go and get you a new dress shirt,” she says as she tries to get off the stool but stumbles right into his arms. His hands land on her hips to steady her and Vic feels like she is about to combust because his big,strong hands feel so good on her. “Sorry, it seems as if I’m a bit clumsy tonight,” she laughs before composing herself.

“It’s okay. I’m happy to catch you should you stumble again,” she laughs out loud and rolls her eyes at how cheesy that just sounded. “Though, I don’t need a new dress shirt,” he assures her but Vic wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“I’m sorry but I can’t have my chief walk around like this,” she realizes her little slip up. “I mean the chief, not  _ my _ chief. You are obviously not  _ my _ chief,” she babbles.

“Well, the rings on our fingers would suggest otherwise,” he notes while wiggling his finger in front of her face.

“Touche,” she simply replies as she walks away, leaving him no other option but to follow.

They make it to the store just in time. Lucas grabs the first available shirt in his size and goes to try it on while Vic takes a look around.

“He went off so fast that I couldn’t even show him this one,” the shop manager hands Vic another white dress shirt. “I think this one will fit your husband much better,” she tells her and Vic feels like correcting her but they are both wearing wedding bands and she doesn’t feel like explaining that, doesn’t think that she actually could without sounding like a complete idiot.

Vic takes the shirt and walks towards the changing rooms, slowly opening the door and her breath hitches as she watches him put on the new shirt. She feels her cheeks burn when he looks up at her and gives her that smile that makes her legs feel like yello.

“She gave me another shirt for “my husband” to try on,” she explains as she closes the door behind her. “She just assumed and I didn’t feel like correcting her,” Vic shrugs as their eyes lock and he nods.

“This one feels a little bit bulky,” he tells her and is about to unbutton it but Vic steps into his personal space, slaps his hands away, reaches for the top-button herself and slowly unbuttons the shirt. They are standing so close that she can feel his breath on her cheek and she knows that he is watching her through hooded eyes as she pulls the shirt off of his body. She swallows at the sight of his broad shoulders, strong arms and defined abs. He looks just as good underneath his clothes as he does with his clothes on and she wants to touch him so badly.

“See something you like?” he whispers into her ear and she blushes before taking a step back.

“Sorry,” she says as she puts the first shirt away and grabs the second one. “Turn around,” she instructs and he does as told as she helps him slip into it. He turns back around to face her and once again they are standing really close, both breathing heavily, obviously turned on.

She slowly buttons up his shirt and pouts when she realizes that it fits him perfectly.

“What? You don’t like it?” he wonders and she shakes her head.

“That’s not it. I was just looking forward to taking it off again,” she blurts out and hears him inhale sharply.

“Well, the night is still young,” he winks and she wants nothing more than grab and kiss him but instead she walks out of the dressing room and pays for the shirt, ignoring the manager as she tells her what a beautiful couple her and Ripley make. 

They leave a moment later and just walk side by side, enjoying the beautiful, somewhat chilly night.

“Hold on,” she hears him say as they stop walking and he puts his jacket over her shoulders. She slips into the sleeves and that spicy cologne hits her nostrils once again as she breathes in his scent and feels herself shiver but not because of the chill of the night.

“Thank you, Chief,” her gaze locks with his.

“It’s Lucas,” he says as he puts his hands on her hips to bring her closer to him. “Is this okay?” he asks and she nods, her arms are propped up on his chest with her hands playing with the collar of his new shirt.

“What if I just like calling you chief?” she smirks.

“Is that so?” he smirks back. “I really want to kiss you right now,” he confesses and she swallows.

“I’m not stopping you,” she replies as he leans in and Vic stops breathing because it’s about to happen. She is about to kiss Ripley, her boss but she can’t bring herself to care about that little, actually really big and important, fact.

But before his lips can meet hers, there is shouting and yelling as some drunken people exit a club across the street and it breaks the moment. They both take a step back and laugh nervously.

“Fire & Spice,” she says as she looks at the sign. “We have to go inside,” she says, not wanting the night to end, and he nods as he takes her hand and they walk into the club.

\----------

Lucas hated those annual conferences he had to attend as the chief. It was really just a bunch of old white men meeting up so they could escape their boring lives at home and Lucas may be a white male but he definitely wasn’t old or bored. As the youngest chief, he often felt like he didn’t belong. 

The conference ends at 5pm and is followed by the usual dinner at a fancy restaurant, the one inside their hotel seems to be fancy enough for this occasion, and as Lucas sits there, he realizes that it’s the last place he wants to be right now. He orders one drink after another in the hopes that it will get him buzzed enough to drown out the whiny, old men at his table. 

He stops listening completely when he spies this goddess of a woman walk by and he can’t help but look her up and down. Her hair is in wild curls, her lips are luscious and red, the dress she is wearing looks like it was painted onto her perfect body, he is pretty sure that she is not wearing a bra, and her caramel skin looks so soft, Lucas wants to touch it so badly.

He is on his feet suddenly, a little bit wobbly from all the scotch he had been drinking all night long.

“Is everything alright, Lucas?” Jefferson, the fire chief from Los Angeles, wants to know.

“Yeah, sorry. I just remembered that I had other plans and I don’t want to be late. It was wonderful seeing you all as usual. Have a great rest of your night,” he quickly shakes their hands and walks away without another word.

He finds her at the bar drinking shots. He notices how empty it is and he feels like a sleaze for sitting down right beside her when every other seat is still available but he really wants to have a drink with her and talk. He feels bold enough tonight, is sure that it’s the alcohol talking. He hangs his jacket on the back of his stool and orders another drink for himself. He watches as the bartender mixes some fancy drink and sets it on fire and it looks pretty cool. He places it on the counter between himself and the goddess he is sitting next to.

Then it all happens so fast and in slow motion at the same time as she turns around on her barstool and her elbow makes contact with the glass of her flaming cocktail and sends it flying all over his arm and then he is suddenly on fire.

“Oh my God,” he hears her yell as the bartender expertly puts out the flames while she just stares at the scene in front of her, looking absolutely mortified. “Are you okay?” she asks and Lucas can’t help but chuckle at the irony of it all.

“I can already see the news, Fire Chief set on fire by gorgeous woman in bar,” he replies and watches her, still in shock. “Are you okay?” he asks this time.

“I’m so sorry, Chief,” she apologizes and he smiles fondly.

“It’s okay. I’m still alive. And please, call me Lucas,” he says, extending his hand. She shakes it and the electricity goes straight through his body down to his toes. He has never felt anything like it before. He wonders if she felt it too and one look into her eyes lets him know that she has.

“I’m Victoria, but everyone calls me Vic,” she answers and licks her lips. He can’t help but stare at them for a moment. So plump and red, begging to be kissed.

“I think I prefer Victoria,” he lets her know as he lets go of her hand, missing the feel of it right away.

He can tell that she is embarrassed and she tries to hide behind her hands but he grabs them and just holds them in his.

“Believe it or not, it’s actually the highlight of my day. There are worse things than being set on fire by a beautiful woman,” he really sucks at this whole flirting thing, he thinks.

“Didn’t you call me gorgeous just a moment ago?” she corrects him looking smug and Lucas can’t help but chuckle. He likes fierce, ballsy women.

“Oh right, excuse me. You’re gorgeous, Victoria. Of course you are,” he winks at her, making her blush and look away. Suddenly she drops his hands and tells him that she can fix it and he wonders what she is talking about. She starts going through her purse, pulling out several items from it and setting them down on the counter and Lucas can’t help but wonder how women manage to fit so many things in such a small purse. It has always been a mystery to him. He sees her pull out a wedding band and his heart drops. 

“Oh, you are married?” he says with disappointment, making her look up at him in confusion, wondering where he got that idea from. He holds up the ring and she just shakes her head.

“Oh, that belongs to my best friend who is getting married tomorrow. I’m her mermaid,” she looks so proud of herself and it’s probably the most adorable thing he has ever seen.

“You mean bridesmaid?” he corrects her.

“That’s what I said, mermaid,” she repeats and giggles, a sound that warms Lucas’ heart. “I can’t lose the ring or Naomi will kill me,” she explains. “Put it on my finger,” she tells him while wiggling her ringfinger.

“What?” he looks at her shocked. She couldn’t possible be asking him that? But she actually is and so Lucas puts a wedding band on a strangers finger and it should feel weird but for whatever reason it feels more natural than the previous times he had done it with women he was actually in love with and was actually marrying.

She goes back to her purse and pulls out a folded paper which she hands over to him.

“This is very important. Put it somewhere safe so you don’t lose it,” she orders, so he puts it in his pocket. “Give me your hand,” she says as she pulls another ring from her purse and slides it onto his finger. “It’s a perfect fit,” she giggles again before pulling out a business card.

“What’s this?” he looks at her in confusion.

“There is this amazing store with men’s wear like tuxedos and dress shirts. All the groomsmen from my friends wedding bought their stuff there. They are still open. Let’s go and get you a new shirt,” she explains and tries to get off the stool but instead stumbles and lands in his arms. “Sorry, it seems as if I’m a bit clumsy tonight,” she laughs before composing herself.

“It’s okay. I’m happy to catch you should you stumble again,” he really has no game. How he managed to get married twice is beyond him. He assures her that he doesn’t need a new dress shirt but she ignores it.

“I’m sorry but I can’t have my chief walk around like this,” and it does something to him that she is calling him  _ her _ chief. “I mean the chief, not  _ my _ chief. You are obviously not  _ my _ chief,” she corrects herself.

“Well, the rings on our fingers would suggest otherwise,” he smirks.

“Touche,” she simply replies as she walks away, leaving him no choice but to follow.

They arrive at the store and he grabs the first available shirt in his size and walks into one of the changing rooms to try it on. He takes off the ruined shirt and slips into the new one when he hears the door open. He looks up and finds Victoria standing there, staring at him and blushing.

“She gave me another shirt for “my husband” to try on,” she explains as she closes the door behind her. “She just assumed and I didn’t feel like correcting her,” she shrugs and they make eye contact.

“This one feels a little bit bulky,” he says and is about to take it off as she steps into his personal space and just starts unbuttoning his shirt herself. They are so close and he can feel the heat radiating off of her body while he is watching her every move. She pulls the shirt off of his body and just stares at his arms and abs and he wants nothing more than for her to touch him.

“See something you like?” he whispers into her ear, making her blushes. She takes a step backwards and he tries not to show his disappointment.

“Sorry,” she says as she puts one shirt away and grabs the other one. “Turn around,” she says as she helps him slip into the new dress shirt. He turns back around to face her and once again they are standing so close, both breathing heavily.

She slowly buttons up his shirt and he doesn’t think he has ever been more turned on in his life and they aren’t even doing anything. 

“What? You don’t like it?” he wonders as she pouts.

“That’s not it. I was just looking forward to taking it off again,” she confesses as he inhales sharply.

“Well, the night is still young,” he winks and hopes that she does get the chance to take it off later on. She smiles and exits the changing room while he finishes up. By the time he exits, she has already paid for the shirt and they leave the store a moment later and just walk side by side, enjoying the beautiful yet chilly night.

“Hold on,” he says when he notices her shivering. They stop walking and he puts his jacket over her shoulders and he can’t help but stare because she looks absolutely adorable with it on.

“Thank you, Chief,” their gaze locks.

“It’s Lucas,” he corrects her as his hands land on her hips to bring her closer. “Is this okay?” she nods as her fingers play with the collar of his new shirt.

“What if I just like calling you chief?” she smirks.

“Is that so?” he smirks back. “I really want to kiss you right now,” he confesses and she swallows and gives him the go ahead. He leans in and he thinks she is holding her breath. He can’t believe that he is about to kiss her.

But before his lips can meet hers, they get interrupted by shouting and yelling coming from the club across the street and the moment is broken as they both take a step back and laugh nervously. 

“Fire & Spice,” she says, looking at the sign. “We have to go inside,” she says and he is glad that she doesn’t seem to want the night to end either. He takes her hand and they walk into the club.

\----------

Her head is in her hands as they both remember parts of the night and just like that night, Lucas takes her hands in his and looks at her.

“This is quite something,” he says.

“This is quite something?” she shrieks before dropping his hands. “I’m a firefighter and I managed to set my boss on fire, not once but twice. You must think I’m the worst firefighter on the planet,” Lucas finds it funny that she is more worried about the fact that she set him on fire than them flirting that night and almost kissing but then again they had done more than that so why would an almost kiss worry her.

“Well, you can’t be any worse than the people from 23,” he jokes and she can’t help but laugh.

“Ugh. 23 is where the slugs of the department go to get slower,” she replies and it’s his turn to laugh now. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, it’s okay. 23 is actually a major pain in my ass,” he admits, making her chuckle.

“Good thing, I’m your wife and can’t give testimony against you in regards to your obvious love for Station 23,” she teases, making him chuckle for a moment.

“Can I ask you something?” he asks seriously.

“Um, sure.”

“You knew who I was?” she nods. “Then why did you flirt with me?” he watches as her cheeks turn red.

“Well, you were hot and I was hot and you were flirting back, so I figured if you had no problem with it why should I? Also, I was slightly drunk and doesn’t the saying go “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”?” she shrugs.

“Yeah, only what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas in our case,” he says.

“No, it didn’t and we still can’t remember the entire night or do you?” she wonders as he shakes his head.

“I only remember going into that club which was really crowded and we decided to drink some more for whatever reason.”

“I remember that too. I had this cocktail. What was it called again?”

“Forget me not,” he mumbles.

“What?”

“The cocktail was called “Forget me not”,” he repeats and she burst into laughter.

“Are you serious?” he nods.

“I remember you pointing at it on the menu and I ordered it for you,” he explains. “It was pretty strong. I think I had one too. Don’t know what happened afterwards,” they both sigh.

“It will come to us eventually. I guess we just have to be patient.”

“I guess.”

“We should probably head back before people start talking,” she suggest and he nods. “Oh, you haven’t heard anything from your lawyer, have you?” he shakes his head.

“He said that it could take from six to eight weeks, maybe even longer,” she sighs

“Okay. Patience is not really my strong suit,” she admits and puts the the first aid kit back before locking her car.

As they walk back, they run into the little girl from earlier and she runs up to Hughes and hugs her legs who smiles and picks her up.

“Hello Serena,” she greets her and tickles her stomach, making the girl giggle.

“Who is he?” the little one wonders as she points at Lucas who smiles fondly.

“My name is Lucas,” he shakes her little hand as he introduces himself.

“Is he your boyfriend, Victoria?” she asks as Hughes turns bright red and Lucas is sure he does as well.

“Oh no, no, no, no. No, he totally is not my boyfriend. No!” she stutters.

“Six  _ No’s _ , really?” Lucas asks mock hurt.

“Why not? Don’t you like him?” Serena wonders.

“Oh, um. It’s a bit more complicated than that,” Hughes answers.

“What’s compacated, mommy?” the little one looks at her mother for an answer.

“It’s a grown up thing, baby,” she explains.

“Oh, okay,” she pouts. “So you and Lucas are not in love?” she looks between him and Hughes.

Lucas looks at her curiously, remembering the night in Vegas.

“No, we are not. He is my boss. You can’t be in love with your boss. It’s against the rules,” she explains to the kid.

  
“Okay,” she shrugs. “But you can both play with me, right?” she asks as Hughes puts her back down on the ground and she grabs both their hands. “Come on, play with me,” she orders while her mother looks at them apologetically. 

“She is really bossy. Kinda reminds me of you,” he teases his “wife” who playfully punches him in the shoulder.

“I think somebody is in denial,” he hears the mother mutter under her breath and Hughes must have heard her too because suddenly her cheeks are red and she is looking anywhere but at him. 

\----------

They walk past the booths, the little girl never letting go of their hands and people are staring at them. It must be weird to see the Chief like this. Vic wonders what they are thinking. Do they know that she is also a firefighter? Do they think that they are Chief Ripley’s secret family?

“Two hours ago you were single and now you return with a wife and kid?” she hears someone say, making her choke on her gum. “Oh my goodness, I was just joking,” the woman says as she hands Vic a glass of water while Ripley rubs soothing circles on her back, making the woman and what appears to be her husband look at them with raised eyebrows. Vic moves out of his reach and takes a sip.

“He is her boss,” Serena suddenly says and everyone’s eyes are on her, “and that’s why they are not in love and you can only have a wife if you are in love, right, mommy?” she beams at her mother who simply nods at her.

“And who are you?” the unknown woman crouches down in front of Serena.

“My name is Serena and who are you?”

“My name is Claire and the little boy over there is my son, Bobby Jr. Do you want to go play with him? He got some pretty cool new toys today from his Uncle Lucas.” the little girl nods and runs over to where the little boy is playing with his sword. 

“Hughes,” she hears Ripley, “these are my best friends Captain Robert Sullivan and his wife Claire,” Vic shakes their hands and smiles at them.

“I’m Vic. I’m from Station 19,” she says and Claire smiles at her and then looks at Ripley curiously.

“So, is there an explanation for all this?” she asks them as they both look at each other and then back at Claire.

“I talked to Serena earlier at my booth and promised I would play with her later on and then I accidentally set Chief Ripley on fire or well his shirt and burned him, so I brought him to my car to take care of the burn and when we made our way back to the barbecue, we ran into Serena and her parents and she just grabbed our hands and didn’t want to let go and now we are here,” Vic explains without taking a breath and Captain Sullivan laughs and stares at Ripley.

“She set you on fire? The Fire Chief of the Seattle Fire Department was set on fire by a junior firefighter?” he laughs even louder unable to stop. “This is the funniest thing I have ever heard.” Vic watches as Claire hits him playfully in the shoulder and Vic ignores the fact that she had just done the very same thing to Ripley a moment ago. 

“I should probably return to my booth. It was very nice to meet you both,” Vic tells them and in that very moment her stomach growls embarrassingly loud.

Claire laughs and walks over to where Vic is standing and hooks their arms together.

“I can’t have you leave my husbands booth without feeding you,” she tells her and makes her sit on the bench. A moment later, she hands her a burger and tells her to eat and so she eats.

“This is amazing, Captain Sullivan,” she says with a full mouth.

“Thank you, Hughes,” he chuckles and nods at her. 

Vic devours the burger, not realizing how hungry she actually was, and asks for a second one which Claire happily prepares. Vic notices how nurturing she is, can imagine that she is a wonderful mother and with the way the captain is constantly looking at her, Vic can also tell that they have a great marriage and are very much in love with each other. Vic is a little bit jealous at how easy and effortless it all looks for them while she was dealing with this mess with Ripley that didn’t seem to want to end.  _ Where did Ripley go? _ , she wonders as she spies him playing with the kids and she has to admit, kids look really good on him. He will make a wonderful dad someday.

“Here you go,” Claire says as she hands her another burger and looks at her son playing with Serena and Ripley. “Luke, will be an incredible father someday,” she notes and Vic wonders if she had said that bit out loud before or if Claire could just read her mind.

“Um, yeah, I guess,” Vic stutters. “I don’t know the chief very well. He seems like a nice enough guy, I guess,” she says before stuffing her mouth with food, making Claire chuckle.

“Do you have a boyfriend, Vic?” she asks and Vic coughs as the food goes down the wrong pipe.

“Honey, you are making our guest uncomfortable with your twenty questions,” Captain Sullivan smiles at his wife.

“I was asking her one question,” she counters as she kisses him and then turns back to Vic, waiting for an answer.

“Oh, no. I don’t have time to date. My job is keeping me busy,” Vic answers.

“You sound just like Luke,” the other woman says just in time for Ripley to join them. He pops open a beer, grabs a second one and offers it to Vic, which she happily accepts, as he plops down beside her, sitting just a little bit closer than necessary, the heat radiating off of him, making Vic squirm and put some distance between them.

“Are you okay, Vic?” Claire asks and Vic nods.

“Yeah, it’s just Chief Ripley is really hot,” the words are out of her mouth before she can stop them and she is sure her face is bright red. She hears Ripley coughing next to her, choking on his beer while Claire smirks and Sullivan bursts into laughter. “That’s not what I meant. Sir, I wasn’t...I didn’t mean it like that,” Vic wishes the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

“Relax, Hughes. Luke is like a furnace. Try going camping with him in the middle of summer. It’s awful,” Sullivan says still laughing.

“I remember you not minding it when we were surprised by that storm last year,” Ripley teases.

“Should I be worried?” Claire interjects while laughing at her husband and the chief.

“Nah, Luke has nothing on you, my love,” Sullivan grabs her and kisses her on the lips, like they are the only two people there.

Vic smiles and can’t help but glance at Ripley, only to realize that he is staring at her. She quickly looks away and stands up from the bench.

“I’m sorry, I really gotta go. Thank you so much for the hospitality,” she quickly gives Claire a hug and shakes Sullivan’s hand, waves at the kids who are still playing together then turns around and mumbles a quick “Bye, sir” to Ripley before walking away as fast as she can.

When she returns to her stations booth, she gets bombarded with questions about Ripley and sighs because the last thing she wants to talk about is her “husband”, Chief Ripley.


	7. Change Of Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a bit more complicated when someone finds out about Vegas.

It’s been two weeks since the barbecue and Vic hadn’t heard from or had seen Ripley at all. Part of her was glad but another part was starting to get really anxious because it had been five weeks since they came back from Vegas and there still were no news about those goddamn divorce papers.

Things had been weird and confusing for her. She hadn’t thought much of it the day of the barbecue, had been more concerned about setting him on fire than any of the other things that had happened that night in Vegas but when she finally came home and let herself recall everything, it all just felt too much for her. Remembering having sex with him wasn’t half as bad. It was just sex, sure - really good sex, but still just sex. Vic could deal with sex because it was easy but then she remembered that prior to all the glorious sex there was lots and lots of flirting and a spark and that was a big problem. She was not supposed to have a spark with a guy that was not only much older than her but also her boss. 

She is glad when her shift is finally over and she drives home, excited to spend an entire weekend at home, doing absolutely nothing, seeing absolutely no one, just her and her TV and lots and lots of food but she finds him standing in front of her apartment and that bubble bursts.

“What are you doing here?” she snaps at Ripley who looks upset and guilty.

He doesn’t say anything just holds up an envelope. Vic sighs, moves past him, unlocks her door, then walks in and shuts it in his face. She takes a look around her apartment, checking for anything embarrassing lying around, putting away a few things to not appear all that messy before walking back to her front door and opening it again.

She finds him still there, looking confused and surprised and still guilty before she finally motions for him to come in.

He takes off his shoes and jacket and Vic finally notices that he is not wearing his uniform but instead a pair of jeans and a gorgeous blue sweater that makes his eyes pop and she feels like she could get lost in them but she quickly shakes herself out of that thought.

“Um, make yourself at home. I’ll be right back,” she tells him as she disappears into the kitchen and grabs two glasses, fills them with water and walks back into her living room. She finds him sitting on the couch, waiting for her looking nervous and Vic is not sure what to think of it.

“So, I take it those are the divorce papers,” she asks and he just nods not quite meeting her eyes. ”Cat got your tongue?” she wonders and that finally gets her his attention as their gaze locks but he still doesn’t speak. “Okay, so since you are not talking to me it seems, just give me those damn papers and tell me where to sign so we can be done with all this and just go back to living our lives.”

He doesn’t move, just stares at her.

“You are making me very uncomfortable right now, please say something. Did you remember anything else and that’s why you are giving me the silent treatment?” he just shakes his head and Vic is really getting frustrated and angry with him. Suddenly she is on her feet, hands on her hips and huffing.

“For fucks sake, will you please say something and tell me what’s going on?” she yells unable to contain herself.

He rubs his beard and sighs before taking a deep breath. “Frankel knows about Vegas,” he finally says and Vic feels like the wind is being knocked out of her lungs. This was not happening.

\----------

_ Earlier _

It was his day off and Frankel had called him about some papers that needed to be signed and it couldn’t wait. He had been less than happy about it but there was no way around it, so he told her to come by his house because he was in the middle of something and couldn’t leave.

He is sitting on his sofa, looking at the divorce papers his lawyer had just delivered and he couldn’t believe that this would be his third divorce. He had always said that if he got married for a third time that it would be really right with  _ the _ one but instead it was to one of his much younger junior firefighters while really drunk in Vegas and things had been weird ever since parts of the night had come back to him. He remembered the way Victoria Hughes had made him feel and he hadn’t felt like that in a very long time. He hated this whole situation. He hated that another marriage was ending and this one he didn’t even get to experience. There was no one to blame for its failure except maybe alcohol and impaired judgement.

He doesn’t know how long he just sits there, thinking about it all until he hears the doorbell ring. When he opens the front door, he finds Frankel standing there, looking annoyed as usual.

“Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting here?” she huffs before moving past him into the main hall.

“It’s nice to see you too, Deb. Come on in, make yourself at home,” irratation evident in his tone.  

“I still don’t get why you couldn’t come into HQ instead of me having to come here. You don’t look busy to me,” she complains.

“It’s my day off,” he simply replies.

“Hasn’t stopped you before,” she counters. “So what has you so busy that you couldn’t come in?” she wonders but before he can answer, there is a beeping coming from the kitchen.

“Damnit, the lasagne is burning. Stay where you are, I’ll be right back,” he tells her as he runs into the kitchen to turn off the oven. A moment later, he returns to the main hall only to find her gone and realizes in horror that she must have wandered off somewhere and remembers the important papers that he had left on the table. He takes a deep breath and walks into the living room to find her holding the divorce papers in her hand, her face a mix or shock, anger and surprise.

“What the hell is this and why the hell does it say that you are getting a divorce from one of the firefighters in my battalion? Why are you married to Victoria Hughes in the first place?” she yells as she paces back and forth.

“Didn’t anyone teach you to not go through other people’s stuff?” he replies angrily.

“Me going through your stuff is the least of your problems. I want an explanation and I want it now,” she stops pacing and sits down on the couch.

Lucas doesn’t say anything, just stares at her. How is he supposed to explain this?

“I’m waiting, Luke. I ain’t leaving here until you explain this to me.”

Lucas sighs, rubbing his beard before sitting down next to her.

“I was in Vegas for the conference as you know and Hughes was there for a wedding and we met at the bar, both a little bit drunk and I don’t know, I guess we flirted and then we just got married.”

“What were you thinking?” she shrieks.

“I don’t know. The night is kind of a blur. I didn’t even know who she was. She just assumed that I knew and that I didn’t care about being her boss.”

“Did you sleep with her?” Frankel asks and Lucas simply nods. “I can’t believe this,”  she jumps up and starts pacing again. “You are the youngest chief Seattle has ever had and you had no scandals in all those years and now this? You know that Hutchins and a bunch of others have been waiting for you to mess up somehow so they can take your job and you just gave them the perfect opportunity with this.”

“I don’t follow.”

“I have to report this to HR.”

“Like hell you will. I will have Hughes sign the papers and we will be divorced in a few months and all this will be over.”

“Are you really that naive? You really think that this whole thing won’t come out? A marriage license is a public record. Anyone can look into it.”

“No one is going to look into it,” he yells back.

“You are an idiot,” she scoffs. “Things like this tend to come out and when  _ this _ comes out it will ruin your career and hers. People will see you as a predator that got his young subordinate drunk and married her and then had sex with her and she will be seen as the floozy that got her boss drunk and forced him to marry her, so she could get promoted or some bullshit like that.”

“That’s not what happened,” he defends himself.

“How would you know? I thought you didn’t remember,” she counters.

“We do remember some of it and while we were both drunk, there was a mutual attraction there. No one forced anyone into anything.”

“That’s not how other people will see it unless…” she pauses and Lucas can see the wheels in her head turning.

“Unless what?” Lucas wonders.

“Unless you change the narrative,” Frankel suggests.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you just said that there was a mutual attraction. You two stay married for a year or so and pretend that you married out of love and then get divorced because it didn’t work out. Still scandalous but not quite as bad as the truth.”

“You want me to force her to stay married to me just so I can save my job?” he looks at her in disbelief.

“You really think I would suggest this just so a white man could keep his job?” she glares at him. “This is to protect her. Better to be the idiot that fell in love with the boss and married him than the harlot that got drunk and accidentally married him. You know that her reputation will suffer more than yours.”

“I can’t make this decision for her.”

“And once again it’s like you don’t know me at all. I would punch you in the throat if you made that decision without her. Whatever  _ she _ decides is what you will do but come Monday someone has to report this to HR. It’s up to you which version of the story they are getting. If you fail to go to HR yourselves then I will with the truth.”

“I can’t believe that you want me to lie to them.”

“Well, I want both of you to keep your jobs. You are a good chief and you have always had my back and Hughes is a capable firefighter. She has promise,” Frankel tells him and Lucas can’t help but chuckle. “What’s so funny about that?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. She set me on fire,” he jokes.

“What?” she asks and Lucas tells her the story of how Victoria Hughes set him on fire, not once but twice until Frankel is crying from laughter.

“I wish I could have seen that,” she is still laughing. 

“It’s not funny,” he pouts.

“Admit it, it kinda is and it’s ironic as hell. I mean a firefighter sets the fire chief on fire? That’s brilliant. If she does it a third time you can use it as a reason for the divorce,” she jokes.

“You are very funny today, Deb.”

“I mean at least you will have a good story for your grandkids someday,” she is still laughing.

“Okay, stop,” he tells her. “I thought there was something I had to sign that couldn’t wait. Let me sign it, so you can go.”

Frankel hands him the papers which he quickly signs them before telling her goodbye but she doesn’t make a move to leave.

“What, I don’t even get to stay for a piece of lasagne? You know how much I love your cooking,” she says as she walks into the kitchen, inviting herself to stay for lunch. 

Lucas sighs and follows after her. She spends the entire time teasing him and he lets her. He was stupid enough to get drunk and married after all. He deserves it.

\----------

“So, she is going to go to HR no matter what? How wonderful. You said you would take care of this and now everyone will find out and I can kiss my job goodbye,” Vic sobs when he is done recounting his afternoon with Frankel.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“Really? You knew she was coming by and you just left the papers lying around where she could see them.”

“I didn’t know she would go into the living room. I’m sorry, okay?”

“You keep saying that but...” she sighs. “Are you really?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks defensively. 

“Just that you don’t want to be divorced for a third time and you are trying to...” Vic doesn’t know how to put it.

“Trying to what? Make you fall in love with me so I don’t have to go through another divorce,” he finishes for her.

“Are you?” Vic wonders, hands on her hips.

“NO!” he shouts. “That’s not the type of guy I am. The papers are right there. Sign them and I will go to HR personally and I will tell them that I coerced you and made you marry me.” Vic gapes at him.

“What? No. I can’t let you do that. You would lose your job for sure and your reputation would be ruined.” she shakes her head, can’t believe that he would even suggest such a thing. “And it wouldn’t help me at all. It would make things worse and I would feel guilty for ruining your life.“

“Then what do you propose?” he asks as he puts his head in his hands and sinks further into her couch.

“I don’t know. I was hoping we could settle this thing quietly,” she sits down beside him.

“I was hoping that too and I know I sound like a broken record by now but I am really sorry for all of this.”

“Stop apologizing. It’s both our faults,” she closes her eyes and tries to calm herself down. Suddenly her stomach growls, making them both chuckle. “I’m gonna order something to eat. Do you want anything?” she asks as she gets up, looking for her phone. 

“Actually, I made you lasagne,” he says as he hands her the little paper bag he brought with him.

“Oh, that is very thoughtful of you,” she says as she looks into the bag and inhales the scent. “This smells really good. Thank you. I’ll go and heat it up. I’ll be right back,” she says and leaves the living room.

She returns a few minutes later with two plates and sets them down on the table next to their glasses.

“Oh, you didn’t have to. That was supposed to be for you,” he tells her.

“It’s way too much for just me and I can’t not feed you,” she smiles as she sits down beside him. She grabs her plate, takes a bite and moans.

“Is it okay?” he wants to know as he takes a bite himself.

“Okay? This is the best lasagne I’ve ever had,” she exclaims surprised.

“Don’t sound so surprised. I had to raise a teenager all on my own. I needed to learn how to cook,” he explains.

“Right, I almost forgot about that.”

“So, are we going to talk about what we are going to do?” she nods slowly.

“Um, if I agree to stay married and pretend that we married out of love, what does that mean? What does it mean for my job? Won’t we get into trouble with HR because you are the chief and I’m without rank? What does it mean for how we act in front of other people? Do we have to live together because I really don’t want to give up my apartment?”

“Actually, marriage is a loophole because rank is not an issue amongst spouses. I may get a reprimand or get suspended for not reporting our relationship sooner but mostly we should be okay,” he explains and she nods. “We act professionally in front of other people. The last thing I want is to make you feel uncomfortable, so we just act as Hughes and Chief Ripley at work. As for living arrangements, we would have to live together, otherwise people would get suspicious. I have a big house. You’d have your own room, bathroom, your own space, really. As for your apartment, you can sublet it, so when we do finally get that divorce, you can go back.”

“For how long do we have to stay married?”

“About a year.”

“Do you need my answer right away?” she asks, surprising him.

“Wait, are you really considering this?” he asks.

“Well, Frankel was right. It’s better to be seen as a lovesick fool than a manipulative harlot.”

“You know that’s not what you are.”

“I know but it’s what people will believe. I will think about this and have an answer before Monday morning,” she tells him.

“Of course. And Hughes, I’m...” he starts but she stops him.

“If you end that sentence with “sorry” I will punch you,” she threatens and he chuckles.

“Sorry,” he says and she punches him in the shoulder.

“I warned you,” she shrugs and he laughs.

“Thank you, Hughes,” he says genuinely.

“I haven’t decided yet,” she tells him.

“I know but just thank you for even considering it and not killing me for what happened today.”

“Don’t give me ideas. I already set you on fire twice, the next time you may not be as lucky to survive and as your wife I would inherit everything,” she jokes and laughs.

“I guess that means I will sleep with one eye open from now on,” he counters as he puts the empty plate on the table and stands up from her couch. “I have taken up enough of your time already. Call me when you’ve made a decision,” he tells her and she nods.

“I will. Have a great rest of your night, Chief,” she says as he leaves her apartment.

Vic sighs. How did her life become this complicated? Was she really going to pretend to be in love with Ripley for a year? She needed Travis for this.

She picks up her phone and calls her best friend who picks up on the first ring.

“Travis, I need your help with something. Bring alcohol and ice cream,” she demands before hanging up again.

Travis arrives half an hour later with beer, vodka and chocolate chip ice cream. He plops down on her couch as Vic grabs two bowls and glasses from the kitchen.

“So, you sounded kinda serious on the phone. What is this about?” Travis asks as Vic sits down on the couch.

“What I’m about to tell you can never leave this apartment,” she says.

Travis chuckles. “Sure thing, James Bond. I won’t tell a soul. It’s top secret,” he jokes not taking her seriously.

“I mean it, Travis. This has to stay between the two of us. Jobs depend on it,” she urges and he finally seems to get it.

“You are scaring me now, Vic. What is this about?”

“Remember the guy from Vegas?” Travis nods slowly.

“Oh my God, you’re pregnant,” he almost shouts.

“What? No, I’m not.”

“Are you sure?”

“Remember how I bit your head off the other day for no reason at all?” Travis nods again when it dawns on him why. “So, the guy from Vegas, he is here in Seattle and he works with us,” Travis’ forehead furrows. “Actually, it’s more like we work for him,” Vic tells him and gives him time to connect the dots.

“You had sex with the Chief?” he realizes shocked.

“Worse.”

“What could be worse than getting drunk in Vegas and having sex with your boss?” he exclaims, thinking for a second. “Oh my God, you married the Chief?” Vic nods slowly. “How did that happen?”

“We don’t remember the details,” Vic tells her best friend as she explains the events from the night that she does remember.

“So, you actually set the poor guy on fire, twice?” Vic nods while Travis laughs. “I’m surprised that he hasn’t sued or fired you yet.”

“That’s not funny, Travis,” she glares at him.

“You have to admit it’s a little bit funny,” Vic doesn’t laugh.

“The plan was to get a divorce, quietly and discreetly, and then just forget this whole thing happened but well something happened and...” she pauses.

“You two actually fell in love with each other like in a rom com?” he asks enthusiastically.

“What? No. Why would you think that?”

“I mean you did just tell me that you two kinda clicked and almost kissed and stuff and you sounded so happy when you left me that voicemail,” he explains. “Oh my God, the voicemail makes so much more sense now when you said that he was the boss and you didn’t call him your new hobby but your new hubby. It makes so much sense now.”

Vic just stares at her best friend and shakes her head. “We did not fall in love with each other but things got a bit more complicated. Frankel knows.”

“Oh shit!” he shrieks.

“Yeah and now we have two options. Go to HR with the truth and risk a scandal and losing our jobs and reputations or...” she pauses and takes a deep breath.

“Or?” Travis asks impatiently.

“Or pretend that we married out of love, stay together for about a year and then get a divorce, saying that it didn’t work out after all.”

“Oh, wow! Are you seriously considering that?”

“Well, it’s either people think of me as the idiot that fell in love with her boss and married him for it or people think of me as the idiot that got so wasted that she doesn’t remember marrying the boss and then sleeping with him,” Travis raises an eyebrow. “I prefer being the idiot in love.”

“You got a point there. It sounds as if you have already made your decision. What do you need me for?”

“I need you to tell me if this is the right decision.”

“I can’t really tell you that, Vic. This is all on you. This is your life.”

“Yeah, I know but what would you do?”

“I can’t answer that question because I’m not in your position. I’m sorry, Vic. This is something you have to decide on your own but whatever you decide I will be there for you 100%,” he assures her as he hugs her. 

“I really messed up, Travis,” Vic mutters into his shoulder and feels Travis nod before letting go of her.

“We’ll get through this,” he tells her and kisses her forehead.

“Am I crazy for agreeing to it?” she wonders.

“I don’t know. Maybe a little bit.”

“Yeah, I guess. I just don’t want him to lose his job. He is actually a good guy.”

“Are you sure you don’t have feelings for him?”

“Not like that but he is a good guy. We spent some time together in Vegas, after our “wedding”, and we did get along. I guess living with him won’t be so bad. He said that I would have my own space and it’s not like we would have to kiss or touch in front of other people.”

“Too bad because from what you said, the sex was pretty good.” Vic blushes.

“Yeah, we are not going to complicate things even more by sleeping together. This will be strictly professional and at home we are going to be roommates and nothing more.”

“If you say so,” Travis says disbelieving.

“Stop saying it like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you think we are going to end up falling in love at the end like in some cheesy rom com.”

“Well, it could happen,” Travis replies.

“No, it won’t,” Vic says with conviction. “Okay, since this is my last day as a “single” lady, let’s get drunk and eat our weight in ice cream and then you can help me pack my stuff,” she suggests. Travis laughs and agrees happily.

\----------

“Hughes?” Ripley looks surprised when he finds Vic on his front porch the next day. “How did you know where I live?” he wonders.

“I have my sources,” she winks. “Can I come inside?” she wonders.

“Oh, sorry. Come on in,” he leads her into the living room and they sit down on the couch.

“So, I made a decision,” she tells him and he looks at her in surprise.

“Already? I didn’t expect you to decide so fast,” he admits.

“Before I tell you, I need to confess that I told my best friend Travis about all of this,” she inhales sharply waiting for him to scream.

“As in Travis Montgomery?” he asks calmly and Vic nods.

“I just needed someone to talk to and you can trust him. He won’t say anything to anyone but I just really needed his opinion and I’m sorry,” she explains as he grabs her hand and squeezes it. Vic feels warmth spread through her entire body and she finds it hard to concentrate.

“It’s okay, Hughes. I understand,” he assures her.

“Thanks. So, I thought about everything you said and I agree that staying married and pretend we did it out of love and all that jazz is the best option,” Lucas sighs in relief and smiles at her.

“Thank you!”

“I’m not doing this for you,” she says firmly.

“Of course not. I didn’t...” he starts but she interrupts him.

“I love my job and don’t want people to think I’m some floozy who would just marry anyone,” he nods. “I already found someone to sublet my apartment to and all my stuff is packed and should arrive later today,” he looks at her in surprise. “What?” 

“Nothing. I just didn’t expect you to be quite so ready, I guess,” he teases.

“What can I say? I’m full of surprises.”

“Yes, you are,” he agrees.

“I had Travis over last night and I don’t really have that many things, so it was rather easy to pack it all up. Also, we need some ground rules,” he nods in agreement. “No touching…” she starts and he instantly drops her hand, making her miss the contact immediately but she doesn’t let it show. “...or kissing or anything. If people wonder why we are not being affectionate towards each other we simply tell them that we don’t like PDA and we are trying to keep it professional at work. I’m also not your maid, so I won’t be cooking or cleaning for you and I’m not going to act as your arm candy at fundraisers or charity events,” she finishes and he nods. 

“That sounds very reasonable,” he agrees. “Come on, I’ll show you around,” Vic simply nods.

They take a tour of the house and Vic is in awe how big it is, is certain that she will get lost in it at the beginning. Lastly, he shows her the guest room,  _ her _ new room. It’s quite spacious and beautiful. She has her own bathroom and plenty of closet space.  

“This is your home now, so make yourself comfortable. I have to go and meet with my lawyer. I shouldn’t be gone for too long.”

“Thank you, Chief,” she says.

“You know if we are really married you can’t keep calling me Chief,” he mentions.

“I’ll just say it’s a kink,” she blurts out without thinking, making him chuckle. “Sorry, I was just joking, Luke,” he just shakes his head and leaves her room.

Vic plops down onto her new bed and tries to relax. This will be quite an adjustment, living with her boss, who happens to also legally be her husband but really isn’t. How will her team react to her being married to Ripley? Vic is sure that Andy and Maya won’t be happy as they both can be a bit judgy at times and Captain Herrera will probably be upset with Ripley, thinking he took advantage of her. Vic hopes that this whole mess won’t ruin the team dynamic or she will have to transfer and that would be the worst thing ever. 

She closes her eyes for a moment and wakes up again two hours later. She hadn’t realized how tired she is actually was after spending the entire night packing her things with Travis so she could move in with Ripley right away. 

She gets up from the bed when she hears the doorbell ring, thinking it’s the moving truck, she opens up the door but instead she finds Chief Frankel there.

“Hughes?” she asks in surprise.

“Hello, Chief Frankel. Luke is not here,” she simply says.

“Luke?” she raises an eyebrow. “So, I take it you two agreed to stay married then?”

“Like you gave us much of a choice,” Vic replies accusingly.

“You may not see it now, Hughes, but one day you will thank me for it.”

“Yeah, I highly doubt that. Like I said Luke it not here. I will let him know you came by,” Vic is about to slam the door in her face when a moving truck stops in the driveway.

Vic just ignores Frankel as she walks past her towards the truck.

“We are a bit early. I hope that’s not a problem,” the driver says and Vic shakes her head and gives him and his partner instructions. 

“You need help?” she hears Frankel ask.

“I think you helped enough,” she replies sarcastically.

“And they call  _ me _ a bitch,” Frankel mutters under her breath.

“Well, if the shoe fits,” Vic simply replies.

“You do realize that I’m still your superior and you may not like the situation but you still have to show me respect,” she reprimands her.

“Neither of us is on duty right now, so I can do and say whatever I want, especially since you are on my property right now,” Vic counters.

“You are really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Well, you put me in this position when you forced me to stay married to someone I don’t love just to save his career,” Vic shouts.

“This is not just about his career. This is for the good of the entire department. There are plenty of people that want his job. People that couldn’t care less about women succeeding in this job. People that think women shouldn’t even be firefighters. Luke was the only man that actively supported me when I joined 88. He saw my worth and didn’t treat me any differently than anyone else. I had the same changes as everyone and I didn’t have that in my previous house. If Luke loses his job, we are all screwed,” Frankel explains and Vic thinks she finally gets it. “Look, I know you see me as the bad guy in all of this and I’m truly sorry for putting you in this position but I wouldn’t do it if there was a better solution and if it was anyone other than Luke. I know that he will be respectful and kind towards you at all times and you don’t have to worry about him trying anything. You will be safer with him by your side than without,” Vic sighs as she hears a car pull up.

“What’s going on here?” Ripley asks looking between them.

Vic looks at Frankel and she thinks that for the first time ever she sees fear in her eyes. Frankel always acted as if she was invincible and strong and here she was looking so small, afraid of what Vic would tell the Chief.

“Nothing. Chief Frankel came by to talk to you when the moving truck pulled up and she offered to help me and apologized for putting me in this situation,” Vic simply replies as she grabs one of the boxes from the truck and walks away from them.

Vic concentrates on moving her boxes into the house and tries to ignore the stares from both her superiors. She can tell that Ripley is not happy with Frankel and that she hates being on bad terms with him. Vic thinks about everything that Frankel had said before how Lucas had always been supportive of women in the job and thanks to his leadership women had a better chance to succeed and she feels bad for yelling. She realizes that it must have been tough for Frankel when she started out. It had been tough on Vic herself but Frankel has been doing this job for over fifteen years. Vic couldn’t imagine what it was like back then for a female firefighter. She comes to the conclusion that maybe she had been unfair and harsh to Frankel after all.

She watches as Frankel says goodbye to Ripley and drives off. He sighs and rubs his forehead before spotting her and joining her at the moving truck.

“Here let me help you,” she hears him say as he grabs the box from her hands and carries it inside. Vic can’t help but smile because Frankel is right about Lucas Ripley. He is kind and respectful but it also makes Vic wonder how a guy like him managed to stay single this long. There must be something wrong with him, right?

\----------

Lucas gets into his car and makes his way to Jim, his lawyer, to let him know about the new development in his divorce which was no longer a divorce, or at least for the time being. He knew that him and Hughes would still be getting one at some point just not for now. He couldn’t believe that she was willing to keep up the charade for another year. What had prompted her to agree?

When he explains the situation to Jim, he looks at him like he is crazy and Lucas thinks that maybe he is. He leaves half an hour later and just drives around because he wants to give Hughes some time to get used to her new home and not smother her already. He stops at a market to get groceries, thinks about cooking for her as a thank you and to welcome her. 

Afterwards, he finds himself in front of a jewelry store and he is not sure if he should do it but if they got married because they are in love they would certainly need rings.

“Chief?” someone says and Lucas turns around to find Montgomery standing in front of him.

“Montgomery, hello,” he says and shakes his hand.

“She is not the hearts and rainbows type of girl,” the younger man says.

“What?”

“Vic, she doesn’t like big, fancy and fluffy. She likes it simple,” he explains.

“Oh, okay,” Lucas nods. “You probably think I’m a sleazebag,” he blurts out.

“What? No! Why would I think that?”

“For the situation I put your friend in,” he shrugs.

“I can’t blame it all on you. Not with the way Vic explained it to me. It sounded like you were both pretty into each other,” he says and Lucas can’t help but blush. 

“She is quite something,” Lucas remarks and Montgomery nods and looks at him curiously. 

“You like her,” he states.

“Not like that,” he replies. “But I do like her as a person. She is fun to be around when she is not setting me on fire,” both men laugh. “We had a great time in Vegas and we talked which was really nice. I can see us becoming friends.”

“Just friends?”

“Yes!” Lucas says firmly. “I’m not going to take advantage of this situation. She can walk away from this whenever she wants. She is not a prisoner in my house, well our house now.”

Montgomery nods. “That’s good to know. So, you want me to help you pick out a ring?”

Lucas nods before both men go inside. It doesn’t take them long to find the perfect rings, turns out that Hughes’ best friend knows her quite well and is a great help. Lucas chooses matching white gold wedding bands and wonders whether he should pick out an engagement ring as well but decides against it, thinks it might be too much.

“Thank you, Montgomery,” he says when they leave the store.

“You’re welcome, Chief,” he smiles. “Just one thing,” Lucas turns to him and listens attentively. “Can you make sure that Vic doesn’t get hurt in any of this? She thinks that you are a good chief and she doesn’t want you to lose your job, so make sure that people treat her with respect and don’t use her as a pawn if politics come into play. Protect her! People will often give the guy the benefit of the doubt while condemning the woman and Vic really doesn’t deserve that or getting dragged through the mud in any way. This mistake shouldn’t ruin her life nor yours actually. Just stick together, I guess.”

“I promise, Montgomery,” Lucas tells him and shakes his hand before saying goodbye and making his way back home.

When he arrives, he finds Frankel and Hughes in the driveway and they look like they are arguing. He gets out of his car and walks over to where they are standing.

“What’s going on here?” he wants to know, looking between them.

“Nothing. Chief Frankel came by to talk to you when the moving truck pulled up and she offered to help me and apologized for putting me in this situation,” Hughes finally replies as she grabs one of the boxes from the moving truck and walks away from them.

“What are you doing here, Deb?” he asks as they move away from the truck.

“I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I had no idea she would be here,” she defends herself.

“You could have called,” he says tightly.

“I could have,” she agrees and sighs. “Look, you may not see it now but one day you will thank me for this. I only have both your best interests at heart.”

“If you say so,” he says dismissively.

“Don’t give me this. I just told Hughes how respectful you have always been towards me and now you’re brushing me off like I’m the bad guy here. I could have just gone to HR but I didn’t because I care about you and our friendship,” she takes a deep breath. “I have wasted enough of your time already. I will leave now. See you on Monday,” she tells him before getting into her car and driving off. Lucas sighs, rubbing his forehead before walking over to Hughes to help her with the boxes.

He leaves her alone for the rest of the day to unpack and get settled in while he finishes up some paperwork in his study.

When he is finally done, he walks into the kitchen to start on dinner only to find her standing in front of the fridge, wearing shorts and a tank top.

“Hey,” he greets, startling her. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologizes and she smiles before closing the fridge.

“I noticed you were busy in the study and didn’t want to interrupt you. I was thinking about making dinner.”

“I thought you are not my maid and won’t cook for me?” he smirks.

“I didn’t say I was going to make dinner on my own. You’re here now, so we can cook something together,” she offers and he nods with a smile.

“What are you in the mood for? I don’t know what you like. I got a bunch of things at the market today but I don’t know if you have any allergies?”

“Um, no allergies. I can basically eat anything. What about you?”

“Only lactose intolerant, so you will only find almond milk in the fridge but we can go and get some regular milk for you,” he explains.

“No need. I prefer almond milk, actually,” she smiles.

“So what are you in the mood for?” he asks.

“I really could go for pasta and a salad.”

“Pasta and salad it is,” he agrees. “Just promise to not set me on fire again,” he teases, making her throw the dish towel at him.

But it turns out that they work perfectly in sync while preparing dinner and Lucas finds that he really enjoys having her there.

“How are you feeling?” he suddenly asks and she stops chopping the vegetables for the salad.

“I’m good, I guess.”

“I’m just wondering if you feel uncomfortable at all? Here, with me?”

“We are all alone in your big house and I’m only wearing shorts and a tank top while making dinner with you… If I were uncomfortable I would have locked myself in my room instead,” she tells him as she happily snacks on the peppers.

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure.”

“Are you comfortable?” she surprises him with the question. “I mean this is your space that you haven’t shared with anyone in a while and now suddenly you are forced to share it with me.”

“I think forced is a strong word. As I said in Vegas, I like your company. I like you,” he gives her a small smile while she blushes.

“Same,” she smiles back as she resumes chopping the peppers. “Let me know if you mind my outfits,” she tells him.

“You can walk around naked for all I care,” he blurts out without thinking, making her choke on a pepper. “Oh my God, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that it’s your home too and you can wear whatever makes you feel comfortable,” he backpedals and she laughs.

“You are blushing,” she teases.

“I’m the Chief, I don’t blush,” he replies with conviction, making her laugh.

“Whatever you say, Chief,” she says still laughing as she turns around to grab a bowl from the cupboard. Lucas watches as she stretches to reach it, making her shorts and tank top ride up, exposing more of that soft caramel skin of hers and he can’t help but stare. He will scold himself later for it.

“I forgot to mention that I ran into Montgomery today,” he blurts out.

“Oh, you did? Where?”

“In front of the jewelry store,” he replies carelessly, making her look at him in confusion.

“What were you doing there?” she wants to know, eyebrows still raised.

Lucas leaves the kitchen and comes back a moment later with a little box and hands it to her. He watches as she opens it and gasps.

“I figured we needed rings if we wanted to make this look real.”

“These must cost a fortune,” she replies.

“It’s nothing,” he waves it off.

“I wouldn’t call this nothing, Luke.”

“Do you like them?”

“Um, yeah. They are beautiful,” she says as she takes the smaller ring and puts it on her finger. “It’s the perfect fit,” she says somewhat surprised.

“Montgomery helped,” he replies as she hands him the box with the other ring. Lucas takes it out and slides it onto his own finger.

“Thank you, Luke. You really shouldn’t have,” she smiles as she hugs him, surprising Lucas. He recovers instantly and wraps his arms around her before letting go again.

“You’re welcome, Vic. It’s the least I can do,” he tells her as he finishes up on the pasta.

They have dinner in the living room, just talking, laughing and enjoying their little bubble that will burst once they go to HR and everyone else finds out about their marriage. Lucas just hopes that nothing changes at home and they continue to be so at ease with each other.


	8. Disclosure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas tell HR and her team.

She had spent most of Sunday in her room unpacking and just settling into her new place with several breaks in between where Ripley would cook for them. If Vic was being honest she really enjoyed having her own personal chef not that she would ever tell him that. In the evening, they sat down to discuss what they would tell HR. They agreed on five months of dating prior to spontaneously getting married while in Las Vegas and keeping it as close to the truth as possible with a few minor changes like the fact that they were both wasted. 

She wakes up Monday morning, stretches and sits up in her new bed, looking around her new room and it’s weird because it’s actually not weird at all. She can’t really explain it. She had been living on her own since her parents death and she thought living with Ripley would be strange but it wasn’t. She knows that it’s only been 48 hours but they work, they are perfectly in sync and get along and Vic is grateful for that.

She takes a quick shower, gets dressed and braids her hair like she always does before going downstairs into the kitchen. She is nervous because not only is she going to face HR today but also her team and she has no idea how they will react.

  
She finds Ripley at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand, a newspaper in front of him and breakfast on the table.

“Good morning, hubby,” she teases and he smiles.

“Good morning, wifey,” he teases back. “How did you sleep?” he wants to know as she walks over to the coffeemaker and pours herself some coffee in a mug before plopping down beside him.

“Like a baby. That bed is really comfortable. You should try it out sometime,” the words are out of her mouth before she can stop them. “I don’t know why I keep saying those types of things when I’m around you but I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I promise,” he just stares at her with one eyebrow raised and a smirk adorning that handsome face of his. “Wipe that smirk off your face Mr. “You can run around naked for all I care”."

“Oh, you wound me,” he says mock hurt and she just rolls her eyes.

“Um, so today will be interesting,” she changes the subject.

“Yeah. Are you nervous about telling your team?”

“I think I’m more nervous about telling them than going to HR,” she admits.

“Well, that’s understandable. They are your team and your friends. You consider them family and if they react badly it could mess up the entire dynamic. I get it,” she smiles because she knows that he does. “If you want I can come with you when you tell them?” he offers but she shakes her head.

“Thank you for offering but I think I need to do this on my own,” he nods.

“Call me if you change your mind,” he tells her and gives her hand a squeeze before taking a bite of his toast.

They eat breakfast in comfortable silence before leaving his - their- house and driving to HQ.

Once inside the building, Vic can’t help but be a nervous wreck. She fidgets with her fingers as she feels his eyes on her.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry about me,” she turns her head to look at him but she can tell that he doesn’t believe her. “Okay, I’m lying. What if they fire us?”

“They won’t,” he assures her.

“You don’t know that,” she counters as he sighs and rubs his beard.

“Vic, it’s going to be okay. Trust me! You know what Montgomery said to me the other day?” she shakes her head. “He said that we should stick together and he is right. We are in the same boat. We are in this together and as long as we stick together and have each other’s back we will be okay. Okay?” Vic simply nods and smiles at him. She knows that he is right. As long as they are in each others corner, they are going to be fine.

“Chief Ripley, we are ready for you,” they hear someone say.

They take a deep breath before locking eyes and hands and walking into the lion's den. 

There are two women inside the room, one sitting at the table while the other, her assistant Vic assumes, shows them to their seats and then sits down herself in front of her laptop.

“Hello, Lucas! It’s nice to see you again. It’s been awhile. How have you been?” the older woman asks.

“Nice to see you, too, Janet. I’m fantastic, actually. You are not going to like what I have to tell you, though,” he says nervously.

“How bad can it be?” she wonders and Vic inhales sharply, making Janet look at her.

“This is Victoria Hughes, a firefighter from Station 19 and about five weeks ago, we got married in Las Vegas after dating for about five months,” he explains, his voice calm and Vic has no idea how he does it.

“Wow, I did not see that one coming,” she confesses.

“Which part?” Luke wonders.

“All of it, I guess. Mostly the getting married again part but then again, third time’s a charm, right?” she chuckles and looks at Vic again. “I can’t really blame you for falling in love with a firefighter, I always thought with how much you love this job and how dedicated you are, no one but a firefighter would understand and accept it. Just didn’t expect someone quite so young and without rank, I take it?” she wonders and Vic nods. “But who am I to judge. You can’t help who you fall in love with, right?” she asks her.

“Right.” Vic replies and smiles. She feels less nervous now. Janet seems like a nice lady who seems to really like Luke but she can’t blame her. He has that likeable quality kinda like a golden retriever.

“So, what we are going to do now, is have you two answer a couple of questions, separately of course. I will start with you, Victoria. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” she answers and looks at Luke.

“I’ll be right outside the door. Everything will be okay,” he tells her before grabbing her hand and kissing it, surprising Vic. He gives her a reassuring smile and walks out of the room. 

“I’m Janet Goodwin. It’s very nice to meet you Mrs. Hughes or well, Mrs. Ripley. You don’t have to be nervous. I won’t bite. I just need you to answer my questions truthfully and then you can leave here again,” Vic just nods. “How did you and Chief Ripley meet?”

“Um, at a bar,” Vic starts. “He was sitting next to me and I was being clumsy and spilled my drink all over him and accidentally set him on fire,” Vic recounts and Janet’s assistant suddenly stops typing while Janet just gapes at Vic.

“Excuse me? Did you just say that you set him on fire?” she asks stunned and Vic nods. “How do you accidentally set someone on fire?”

“You see, I had one of those flaming cocktails,” Vic explains and she can see it clicking in Janet’s head as she nods and motions for her to continue. “I was mortified to say the least but Chief Ripley, I mean Luke, assured me that he was okay. We spent the rest of the night just talking and bonding. Then he walked me home and neither wanted the night to end and well one thing led to another,” Vic finishes.

“Okay. Did you ever feel uncomfortable in Chief Ripley’s presence?”

“Never. Actually, I always feel kinda safe when he is around and calm and maybe a little bit nervous,” Vic regrets using that word the moment it’s out her mouth because Janet looks at her concerned. “That was the wrong choice of word. I mean nervous in the sense that I end up making a fool out of myself by saying stupid things like how comfortable my bed is and that he should try it out sometime,” Vic explains and Janet chuckles before going back to serious mode again.

“I see. Did you ever feel like he was using his position to get you to do something you didn’t want to? That you felt like you had to do?”

“No. You see, Luke didn’t even know I was a firefighter. He didn’t recognize me. I just assumed that he did. We didn’t talk about our jobs at all that night. When we stood outside my building he actually asked me if he could kiss me and I guess I should have said no because he is my boss but I just felt a pull towards him and I never had a guy ask for permission to kiss me before. I felt like he was worth it, ” Vic explains.

“When did Chief Ripley realize that you were his subordinate?” Vic winces at that word but doesn’t let it show.

“The next morning when he saw me in my uniform. I explained to him that I thought he knew who I was and we decided not to let it happen again but as fate would have it we bumped into each other again and we realized there was something there between us and we started secretly seeing each other.”

“Why did you two keep the relationship a secret for so long?”

“Because we wanted to remain in our little bubble and not have anyone up in our business,” Vic replies. “No offense,” she adds.

“None taken. I get it.”

“I know what this will look like to other people and it sucks that people will only see our job titles and the age difference instead of the connection we have,” Janet nods.

“Did you ever receive any special treatment from Chief Ripley while you engaged in a relationship with him?”

“No. I don’t recall ever working a scene with him at that time or before and I don’t think I was ever present when he visited my firehouse. We kept it all strictly professional and only saw each other outside of work on our days off.”

“All right. Last question, what do you expect from this marriage?” Vic furrows her forehead.

“I don’t understand the question,” she replies. “I didn’t marry him to get promoted or anything if that is what you are asking. Not that he would ever promote me just because I’m his wife. When I move up the ranks it will be because I'm awesome and a great firefighter and because I deserve it,” she says confidently and proud.

“Very well. Thank you, Mrs. Ripley. You can send in your husband, please,” Janet tells her and Vic nods and says goodbye to the women, ignoring the warmth that spread through her body when Janet called her Mrs. Ripley.

She finds him sitting on the bench in front of the room. He looks calm and smiles when he sees her exit the room.

“How did it go?” he asks and Vic shrugs.

“It wasn’t as awful as I thought. Janet is really nice. She seems to like you.”

“Well, we’ve known each other for years. She is good people and a friend”

“Don't you feel bad for lying to her?” Vic whispers.

“Maybe a little bit? But we have to,” he sighs and Vic nods in agreement. "Everything will be okay. I promise," he leans forward and places a kiss against her temple and just like when he kissed her hand, it gives Vic comfort and calms her.

"Thank you, Luke," She simply says and smiles at him. "I'll be waiting here."

\----------

He enters the room and sits down across from Janet. She is looking at him in a way that makes him feel somewhat uneasy and Lucas Ripley never feels uneasy.

“Okay, I gotta ask. Is this some kind of midlife crisis thing?” Janet wants to know and Lucas laughs out loud. “I never pegged you for someone who goes after younger women.”

“It was not like I was seeking her out. We met, we talked and we clicked.”

“As simple as that?” 

“As simple as that,” he repeats. “I didn’t know that she was one of my firefighters and to be honest, I’m not sure it wouldn’t have happened if I had known. She is funny, sarcastic and confident. She brings out a side in me that I haven’t seen in years and more often than not I’m a stuttering idiot around her,” Janet chuckles.

“She said the same about herself,” she lets him know and Lucas smiles.

“Yeah, we have that in common. Look, after I found out who she was we both decided that this should probably stay a one time thing but then we bumped into each other again at a store and there was something there that we both felt was worth exploring. We both agreed to see each other secretly.”

“As the chief it was your duty to report the relationship. Why did you fail to do so?”

“Honestly? Because I was selfish and wanted to stay in our bubble a little bit longer. I knew the moment we would disclose, it would not be just us in this relationship but everyone else and we just wanted to be together without other people snooping around in our business,” he justifies. “No offense,” he adds.

“Either the two of you rehearsed all of this or you two are really just made for each other because she said the very same thing down to the “no offense”,” Janet laughs.

“What can I say, sometimes it feels like we are the same person,” Lucas jokes.

“I can see that. So I have one more question. Do you think she targeted you in hopes for a promotion?”

“You can’t be serious. Vic is an exceptional firefighter and doesn’t need my help to move up in ranks. If anything being with me will make it harder on her but she can do anything she sets her mind to. She is amazing,” Lucas beams and he means every single word of it.

“Very well. Thank you, Lucas. You may wait outside. This shouldn’t take long,” she tells him and Lucas leaves.

He finds Vic pacing back and forth in the hall and smiles. She stops when she sees him. Lucas takes the few steps towards her and motions for her to sit down on the bench.

“How did it go?” she asks impatiently.

“Good,” he simply replies.

“Good? That’s all I’m getting?” she complains, making him chuckle.

“I don’t think either of us is losing their job if that’s what you are wondering but there will be rules we will have to follow.” Vic pouts.

“I’m not the best when it comes to rules,” she admits.

“Oh, I know,” he teases and she punches him in the shoulder. “I’ll put all the abuse I’m suffering at your hands into the divorce papers,” he jokes.

“Don’t forget that I set you on fire. Twice!” she reminds him as if he needed reminding.

“Oh, I doubt I’ll ever forget that,” he laughs.

“So, what’s happening now?”

“We wait,” he says as he squeezes her hand.

Half an hour later, they get called back in and take a seat.

“So, I went through your statements and Lucas, you may remain in your wife’s chain of command but Victoria’s evaluations will be handled by Battalion Chief Frankel from now on,” they both nod. “I have the formal papers for you to sign right here. A copy of it and the official statement will be sent to you within the next few days,” she explains as she hands them the papers and shows them where to sign. “That is it for today. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Ripley!” she shakes their hands and they leave.

“That was it?” Vic wonders.

“Yeah. I told you everything would be okay. Next time believe me, wifey.”

“I’ll try, hubby.”

“Okay, I gotta go. I have a meeting and need to prepare for it. I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.”

“Yeah. Sure. Have fun at work, Luke.”

“You, too. Call me if you change your mind about telling your team.”

“Thanks, Luke. That’s really sweet but I got it under control,” she says rather convincing. Lucas just nods.

“Okay. Bye,” he leans forward and kisses her cheek as if it’s the most natural thing in the world but then he remembers her rule about not kissing. “Sorry, you said no kissing. It slipped my mind.”

“It’s okay. It was just a goodbye kiss between a husband and wife,” she assures him and waves goodbye.

\----------

Vic has nothing under control at work. She barely has time to breathe, let alone sit down with her team to tell them the news. It seems as if all of Seattle had chosen this day to start a fire or get hurt in some way because the calls are just not stopping. They would get back to the station and the klaxxon would chime again and again. 

It’s evening when they finally have some time to sit down and breathe and Vic thinks it’s now or never. She has them all in the Beanery and is about to start when she hears the door opening and Luke walk in. She turns around to look at him, surprise all over her tired face.

“What are you doing here?”

“I know you said you don’t need me here but I just felt bad that you are doing this on your own when it’s partially my fault. I will leave though if you want me to,” Vic sighs. 

“I… Actually I’m glad you are here. We’re a team, remember. We stick together,” she tells him as she pulls out the wedding band from her pocket and slides it onto her finger. She takes his hand in her and turns back around to face her colleagues who look at them strangely.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m not gonna like what you two are about to tell us?” Captain Herrera says grimly.

“I need you all to let me say this before you start bombarding me with questions,” she tells them and they nod. “You are probably wondering why Luke is here and why we are holding hands and...” she pauses and looks at him. He motions for her to continue while squeezing her hand. “We got married a while ago,” Vic watches as everyone’s mouth drops, their eyebrows shoot up into their hairline while Captain Herrera looks very upset and Travis just really happy. “We have been together for a while and when I was in Vegas, Luke was there as well and we just decided to get married and so we did.”

“How long have you two been together? Since you were in the academy? Is that why he gave you a spot here at 19?” Andy wonders and Vic tries her best not to let that comment hurt her. 

“Did your dad pull any strings for you to be here?” Vic counters.

“I… I’m sorry, Vic. I didn’t mean it like that,” Andy apologizes.

“It sounded like you don’t think I’m good enough to be here with you guys and only got to be here because I was sleeping with the big boss,” Vic half yells. “Which I wasn’t. Luke and I were dating for about five months before we got married and have been married for the past five weeks. He had nothing to do with me becoming a firefighter or getting into 19. That was all me,” Ripley nods in agreement.

“Are you pregnant?” Maya suddenly asks.

“Excuse me?” it’s Luke’s turn to speak.

“I mean five months of dating is a very short time,” she defends her question.

“So, that can only mean that we are pregnant?” he asks angrily as Maya sinks back into her chair.

“I’m not pregnant,” Vic sighs. “I knew you guys wouldn’t be happy but I didn’t expect this,” she says with defeat in her voice but before she can say anything else she feels Luke pull her into his arms and hug her. She welcomes it. It calms her and gives her strength. They stay like that for only a few seconds but it does the trick.

They pull away from each other but keep their hands entwined. Vic looks at Travis for help as he stands up and walks over to them.

“I for one am happy for the both of you,” he says and hugs Vic and shakes Luke’s hand.

Vic is about to say more but the klaxxon goes off again and for the first time that day she is actually happy about it.

“I gotta go. I’m on aid car duty with Travis today but thank you for being here tonight. That was really sweet,” she tells him and leans in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll see you at home,” he simply replies as she leaves.

Once in the aid car, she can’t help but let the tears flow. Travis looks at her helplessly and just hugs her to him.

“I’m really sorry, Vic. I didn’t think they would react like that but they will come around eventually. Give them some time,” he tells her as he starts the engine.

“I hope so,” she says as she wipes away her tears wondering if it had been better to tell her team the truth.

\----------

Lucas watches as Vic leaves with her friend and turns around to look at the rest of her team who still looks shocked and surprised at what they had just revealed to them.

“Chief Ripley, a word,” Pruitt demands and Lucas follows him downstairs into his office.

“What can I do for you, Pruitt?” he asks as he closes the door behind him and sits down.

“Don’t give me that bullshit. I never thought you were one of those guys that would use his position like that.”

“Watch it. You don’t get to talk to me that way. I’m still the chief,” he warns him.

“Don’t throw your title at me. I’ve been around longer than you have. That girl is like a daughter to me. This whole thing will destroy her career and reputation. What were you thinking? How could you let this happen?”

“She is not a girl. She is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. Everything that is happening between us is consensual and that is all that I will give you because I won’t be discussing my personal life with you and definitely not without Vic present,” Lucas stands up to leave.

“You better not break her heart. I don’t care that you are the chief, they will never find your body. I know people,” Pruitt warns him.

“Trust me, Pruitt, if I break her heart I will gladly dig my own grave before you put me into it,” with that Lucas leaves the captain’s office and heads back upstairs.

Vic’s team is having dinner together when he walks into the beanery.

“I apologize for interrupting your dinner but I need to have a word with all of you,” he tells them as they stop eating. “What happened just now really hurt Vic and I hate to see her like that because of me. You can blame me all you want but don’t take it out on her. I had nothing to do with her landing at 19, that was all her. We didn’t get married because I got her pregnant but because we both wanted it. Sometimes you just can’t help who you fall in love with and there is more to a person than just their job title,” he finishes his little speech, hoping that it didn’t make things worse.

“It just caught us off guard, Chief,” Gibson admits. “We promise to apologize to Vic when she gets back,” he adds.

“Yes, we will,” Herrera and Bishop say in unison and Lucas nods. “We are sorry, sir, for jumping to conclusions. We obviously know nothing about your relationship with Vic,” Herrera adds. “I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

“I accept your apology.”

“Thank you, sir,” Miller says before Lucas bids them goodnight and leaves. 

All he wants is to go home, eat something and then go to bed. It was a long and exhausting day.

\----------

Vic and Travis come back from their call and Travis hasn’t even turned off the engine when Vic hears Captain Herrera bellow for her to come into his office. Vic steels herself for what’s about to come. 

“What can I do for you, sir?” she asks as closes the door and sits down.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” he tells her.

“Let me make it easier for you, Captain. You ask me what I was thinking and I tell you that it’s none of your business because it really is none of your business what I do in my personal life or who I do it with. Luke didn’t take advantage of me and we are both in this together. I’m not a little girl that needs you to protect me or fight my battles for me,” he chuckles. “What’s so funny about that?”

“Only that he ripped into me when I called you a girl,” he answers and Vic laughs.

“Well, I’m not. I’m a grown woman and can make my own decisions.”

“That’s what he said as well.”

“Well, he knows me. He wouldn’t be my husband otherwise.”

“I guess. I’m just, I’m worried about you. You are like a daughter to me and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I know, sir. It’s really sweet that you are worried about me but Luke would never hurt me. He is a good guy.”

“I’m not so sure about that. He is fifteen years older than you. He should have stopped this from happening. He should have known better,” he starts again and Vic sighs.

“It’s like what I want doesn’t matter at all,” Vic groans, tired of this bullshit. “Blame both of us and not just him. I didn’t stop it either. Look, I’m tired of defending myself. We are married and happy whether you like it or not.”

“I guess I will have to accept it but if he does hurt you I know people,” Vic chuckles.

“Something tells me that if Luke should ever hurt me he will be the one digging his own grave before telling you to put him in it,” Vic says and laughs. “What?” she asks when her captain gives her a weird look.

“Maybe you two are actually meant for each other. That’s exactly what he said to me.”

“See, he is a good guy. Cut him some slack,” her boss nods. “Can I go now? I’m hungry and I really need some rest,” he just nods and Vic leaves his office and climbs the stairs to find her team sitting in the beanery where she left them.

There is a plate filled with food on the table and Vic feels somewhat uneasy.

“If this is an intervention then I’m gonna take my dinner elsewhere,” she lets them know.

“No intervention. This is an apology. Come sit and eat. You must be starving,” Andy is the first one to speak as Vic sits down and takes a bite of the spaghetti and meatballs. “Well, where is my apology? I’m waiting,” Vic says with her mouth full.

“We had no right to say what we did. We don’t know the first thing about your relationship with Ripley and we are sorry about that,” Maya says and everyone else nods.

“We were just surprised. I mean you and the Chief? Who would have thought,” Dean adds.

“Tell me about it,” Vic says between bites. “I didn’t expect any of this either but it happened and you guys will have to accept it or we are going to have a problem here. I don’t want to have to leave.”

“And we don’t want you to leave,” Andy admits as she squeezes Vic’s free hand. “You deserve to be here. You are one of us. We are a family,” Vic smiles at her.

“What you said really hurt me,” Vic tells her and Andy nods before hanging her head in shame. “But I will accept your apology because I love you guys and you are my family,” Vic tells them as she devours the rest of her food.

“You sure you’re not pregnant?” Dean teases, earning himself a glare from Vic.

“I’m just really hungry. We didn’t really have time to eat today. It was a crazy day,” they all nod in agreement. 

“So, are we good here?” Jack asks.

“Yeah, we are,” she says as she fills her plate with some more food. “Miller, if I wasn’t married already I would marry you just for your cooking skills but then again Luke is a pretty great chef himself.”

“It’s weird to hear you call him that,” Jack notes.

“Well, it is his name. I won’t be calling my husband “Chief” or “Ripley” while talking about him. You guys better get used to it.”

“Not even in the bedroom?” Maya teases, making Vic blush as she remembers that she did call him that during their wedding night. “Oh my god, you totally do. That’s kinky.”

“Okay, enough about my love life. He is your boss after all.”

“He is your boss, too,” Travis reminds her.

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” Vic winks at them before rinsing her plate. “I’ll go and get some sleep.”

Vic’s day had been long and exhausting, so it’s no surprise that she falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow.

\----------

Lucas comes home from work around five o’clock the next day to find Vic in the kitchen, cooking dinner and he smiles as he greets her, washes his hands and helps her with the salad.

“You don’t have to help,” she tells him but he doesn’t listen. “You cooked last night, so it’s only fair that I cook tonight.”

“I don’t mind helping,” he assures her. “How was the rest of your shift?”

“My team apologized and Captain Herrera had a talk with me.”

“I had one of those as well.”

“Yeah, he told me. I just hate that people think they know what’s best for me like I can’t make my own decisions.”

“To be fair, we did get wasted and married in Vegas,” he teases, earning himself a glare.

“Yeah well, they don’t know that. Just because I’m the youngest there doesn’t mean I’m still a child. I told Herrera so. I think he got it or at least I hope he did,” Lucas nods. “How was your day?”

“Well, my female colleagues looked at me like I’m some kind perve or predator and some of my male colleagues tried to high-five me for banging a younger chick,” Vic looks at him in disgust. “Their words not mine.”

“What did you tell them?”

“I told them to cut it out and then sent them to mandatory sexual harassment training because that is no way to talk about a woman especially not my wife.”

“Why are some guys like that?”

“I wish I could tell you,” he sighs as he chops the tomatoes.

“I can’t believe that people already know about us.” 

“Yeah, rumors travel fast. Headquarters first and then the rest of the Fire Department.”

“That’s gonna be fun,” Vic says sarcastically. “What did your female colleagues say?”

“They just basically told me how disappointed they were in me and how they thought I was one of the few good guys but now I’m just like any other guy.” 

“I’m really sorry about that. You are obviously not like those guys. They are gross and vile,” she assures him with a smile as she removes the lasagne from the oven.

“Thanks for saying that.”

“Well, I mean it.”

“That smells amazing,”he tells her as his mouth waters.

“Thank you. It’s my mother’s recipe.”

“I can’t wait to taste it,” he says as he finishes up the salad and sets the table. He watches as she puts something else in the oven. “What’s that?”

“Oh, I’m making cookies for dessert.”

“Wait, you bake?” she nods. “You know the guy that gets to marry you for real will be one lucky fella,” he tells her without thinking.

“Well, for now you are that lucky fella,” she winks at him and sits down at the table and Lucas knows that she doesn’t mean it like that but his heart skips a beat anyway.

“What did you do today?” he asks as they enjoy dinner.

“Not much. I did laundry and watched some TV, took a nap before realizing what time it was and starting on dinner,” he smiles. “And no, I didn’t do your laundry just mine and I only cooked because you did last night. I like coming home to yummy food in the fridge,” she tells him.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he winks at her.

They spend dinner talking about their day, making Vic almost forget about the cookies in the oven. Lucas teases her about having a knack for burning things which earns him a punch in the shoulder.

They finish dinner and do the dishes together while the cookies cool off and afterwards they just sit on the couch, snacking on cookies and milk while Vic watches TV and Lucas reads reports. Lucas can’t help but enjoy every second of it and dreads the day this will be over but he shoves those thoughts aside. They still have about eleven months left of this and he will enjoy it as much as he can.


	9. Truths & Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sullivan finds out about Lucas and Vic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for reading, commenting and giving kudos. It means so much to me that you guys are enjoying this story.

Robert Sullivan is a man on a mission. He is a man who is angry and disappointed in his best friend for not telling him about his surprise wedding himself and he needs answers and he needs them now. He rings the doorbell but gets impatient so he starts banging on the door like a maniac. He knows that Luke is working today, so he is definitely up already. Robert is about to knock again when the door finally swings open, revealing an annoyed Fire Chief.

“What the hell, Sully?”.

“Don’t you, what the hell me,” he huffs before pushing past him and into the house.

“Sure, come on in,” his best friend teases as he closes the door and they stand in the main hall.

“When were you going to tell me?” Luke sighs. “I mean, you were going to tell me, right? We’ve been best friends for over twenty years. You were the best man at my wedding and are my son’s godfather. I thought this friendship meant something and now I find out that you are married and apparently have been for a while and not just to anyone but someone from the department and you didn’t even have the guts to tell me yourself. Instead I had to find out from Lawson? I mean really, Luke? From Lawson?” he shakes his head. 

“I’m sorry, okay? Let’s -- let’s just go into the kitchen. I’ll make us some coffee and breakfast and I will explain everything to you,” he says as he starts walking towards the kitchen with Robert hot on his heels. Luke pours them both some coffee and hands him a mug before opening the fridge and grabbing some items.

“I didn’t even know you were seeing someone let alone someone from the department. How long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell me?” he has so many questions. “At least now it makes sense that you were hanging out with Hughes at the BBQ. She was right there in front of me and you didn’t tell me. I should have known that something was going on between the two of you. You two were so obvious.”

“I don’t know what you think you saw that day but there is nothing going on between Vic and me.”

“I don’t follow. You two are married, right?” Robert asks confused.

“Vic and I are not really married,” he is even more confused now than before. ”I mean we are legally married but not really.”

“You are not making any sense at all. How can you be legally married to someone but not really?”

“When you get really wasted and get married in Vegas,” Luke explains.

“You still need a marriage license to be legally married,” Robert notes.

“Yeah, somehow we managed to find the one chapel in that godforsaken city that came with an actual marriage license,” Luke explains while cooking the bacon and stirring the eggs.

“Remember that conference I had in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago?” Robert nods. “Well, she was there for her friends wedding and we met at the bar and we were wasted and spent the evening together and then got married somehow. A lot of it is still a blur. We only remember bits and pieces.” he adds.

“I don’t understand why you would flirt with her in the first place?”

“Because I didn’t realize who she was. I mean do you expect me to remember every single name and face of every single firefighter?” he defends himself.

“Okay, I’ll give you that. Still doesn’t explain why everyone assumes that you two are in love. Did you fall in love with each other?” Robert wonders.

“What? Of course not. We are friendly, I guess.”

“Friendly? It’s that what people are calling it these days.”

“We have an agreement. In order to not ruin our careers and reputations we decided to stay married for a while pretending we are in love instead of the truth that it was a drunken mistake.”

“Why didn’t you just secretly get divorced?” Robert wonders because that would have been the easiest thing.

“That was the plan before Frankel snooped around and found the divorce papers and you know her. She loves protocol even more than I do. She said she would go to HR and tell them the truth and then she came up with this crazy idea for us to stay married and pretend it’s real and then get a divorce later on because it would hurt our jobs and reputations less.”

“Wait, Frankel came up with that idea?” Robert is shocked because that doesn’t sound like her at all.

“I have no idea why. It’s not at all like her. I was shocked to say the least but she made some good points.”

“As to why it’s okay to force another woman to stay married to you just to save your own career? Who are you even? The Luke I know would have never agreed to blackmail like that.”

“It wasn’t like that. I didn’t force Vic. I presented her with the options and she made the decision for herself. She moved in the very next day.”

“But she didn’t really have a choice. You should have been more careful so no one would find out in the first place. Hughes assumed it would all go away quietly and then she was faced with two completely different options. She really had no choice in this. You really messed up, Luke.”

“Don’t you think I know that already? I really don’t need a lecture from you,” he half-yells. “I wanted to protect her and instead I got her in this mess that is our lives now. I never intended for this to happen. I should have never let her agree to this stupid plan,” his friend sighs and rubs his beard with one hand while turning off the stove with the other.

Robert wants to ask why she agreed to it in the first place when the subject of their conversation walks into the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, only wearing tight shorts and a tank top and a smile, which could light up all of Seattle during a blackout, that is directed at his friend who has a goofy grin on his face the moment his eyes meet hers. “Good morning, hubby,” she surprises Robert with the nickname. They are staring at each other like no one else is around and he feels a bit like an intruder as he finally makes his presence known by clearing his throat which gets her attention.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize we had a guest. Good Morning, Captain Sullivan. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she apologizes and with the way she is suddenly hiding behind the counter and has her arms folded across her chest, he can tell that she feels very uncomfortable standing there in her state of undress which he finds curious considering just a moment ago she was fine with it when she thought that it was just her and Luke. “Um, Luke, did you make me that Eggy thing?” she asks turning towards his best friend.

“You know that dish has a name,” he teases her.

“But you know what I mean, so why bother with the real name?” she counters.

“Luckily for you, I actually do. Eggy!” he beams at her as he hands her a plate.

“So that’s sticking, huh?” she laughs.

“Oh yeah, Eggy!”

“Whatever, hubby. I’ll eat this in my room and leave you two alone to discuss whatever you were discussing. You two have fun at work,” she says as she winks at Luke and bids Robert goodbye and disappears again.

Robert thinks he understands now. He understands why both of them agreed to stay married. He is not sure if they realize it themselves that there is something there between them but with how comfortable and playful they were with each other just now, it makes sense to Robert. It’s like the Frankel thing gave them the perfect excuse to continue with this whole thing. He makes a mental note to talk to Frankel about this because he can’t shake the feeling that there is more to it.

Robert is so deep in thought that he doesn’t realize that Luke is calling his name.

“Go on, let me have it,” he says as he hands him a plate.

“I actually get it.”

“What? You were just about to rip my head off a second ago,” he says surprised. “What changed?” he wonders.

“Just that I saw you two right now and I get it,” he shrugs as he starts eating his bacon and eggs.

“What are you talking about?” Luke asks confused while drinking his coffee.

Robert wonders whether he should go there because this is usually Claire’s domain but then he just can’t help himself. “Oh come on, Luke. You are totally into her and if I’m not mistaken she is totally into you. I get why you both agreed to this.”

“What? No. There is nothing going on here. We are friends at best,” Robert gives him a disbelieving look. “I mean it. Vic and I are in this together as friends and friends only. Once the year is over we will divorce and go our separate ways. I mean as much as we can considering that we both work in the same department.” 

“That’s not what I just witnessed,” Robert calls him out.

“You have been married way too long. You sound just like Claire,” he notes, earning himself a glare. “Sure, I enjoy her company and I like her. She is fun to be around and we get along and I guess, I have to thank her for making me realize how lonely I actually am and for making me come out of my shell. She also made me realize that I do want someone to share my life with. So when this charade is over, Claire can finally set me up on one of those blind dates she has been dying to do since my divorce from Eva.”

Robert just stares at his friend and wonders if he is lying to him or himself about Vic. He is convinced that once the year is over these two will be heading for a vow renewal and not a divorce but he won’t push it. “If you say so.”

“I know so. Vic and I would never work as a couple. We work as friends and I’m not going to ruin a perfectly good friendship by complicating things,” he says it with such a conviction though Robert can see right through him but he lets him live in denial for now. He will get to the truth eventually.

“Okay. I believe you,” he lies. “You know that I will tell Claire the truth about this, right? There is no way I can keep this from her.”

“I didn’t expect you to lie to your wife. I would never ask you to.”

“I think you should come to dinner sometime this weekend. Both of you. Claire really liked Vic and would be happy to see her again,” Robert suggests because he knows his wife. She is better at this “playing cupid” thing. He will let her handle this.

“Only if you promise that Claire won’t try to play cupid. I don’t need for things to get complicated between Vic and me. We are in a good place. I don’t want that to change,” he says as he finishes his breakfast and rinses his plate before putting it in the dishwasher. 

“Didn’t look complicated to me just now,” Robert mumbles as Luke glares at him. “Okay, okay. Sorry. I will tell her to stay out of this. You happy now?” his friend nods as he takes the other plate. “Thanks for breakfast. That was the least you could do after not telling me.”

“I didn’t think there would be anything to tell and we just had the HR meeting the other week. I was going to tell you eventually. I just thought I had more time. I didn’t think it would make the rounds this fast,” he explains.

“Lawson… Luke. I can’t believe that I found out something like this from Lawson of all people,” Robert shakes his head as they leave the house and head towards their cars.

\----------

Vic is in a foul mood. She couldn’t help but overhear Luke and Robert’s conversation and she doesn’t know why it bothers her. Why did he even agree to stay married to her if he was so desperate to share his life with someone for real and not just pretend? She thinks she should be glad that he only sees her as a friend because it will make this whole thing a lot easier but it bothers her that he is totally dismissing them as a couple. Not that she wants to be with him in that way but it does make her wonder why he can’t see her as more than just a friend. Is it her age or does he think of her as too immature to be in a relationship with him? He said he liked her and her company yet he wouldn’t want to actually be with her in that sense and it bugged her because it made her feel like there was something wrong with her.

She sits in her room and eats her Eggy thing and she feels like throwing things. She grabs her phone and calls Travis.

“Hey, Vic!” he greets happily. “What’s up?”

“You sound way too chipper this early in the morning,” she complains and she can basically hear him rolling his eyes.

“And you sound like you are in a mood. What’s going on?”

“I was wondering if you want to come over and hang out at my place?” Vic asks as she abandons her breakfast and looks for her bikini.

“You mean Ripley’s place?” Vic sighs.

“Well, it’s my place too for the next couple of months. He just left for work and I don’t want to be alone and did I mention that we have a pool?” she hopes that will get her best friend interested.

“Say no more. I’m on my way. Text me the address. Do you need me to bring anything?” he asks and Vic thinks for a second. “Vic? You still there?”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking if I needed anything. The fridge is stocked but I don’t think I have any sunscreen. Can you get some?”

“Sure. Text me if you need anything else. I’ll be there in a bit,” he says and hangs up while Vic puts on her bikini and finished up her food before going downstairs to start the dishwasher. 

She grabs the coffee pot and pours herself a mug and just walks around the house. Her eyes land on the piano in the living room and she wonders what the story is there. She always wanted to learn to play an instrument when she was a child but she was too impatient for it. She did sing however. She was not a professional singer but she did always kill it during karaoke night with her friends. She doesn’t realize what time it is when she hears a knock at the door. As she opens the door, she finds her best friend with his mouth and eyes wide open, obviously shocked and surprised at her new home.

“Wow, this is like a mansion. How do you not get lost in here?” he wonders and Vic laughs.

“Oh, I do. Come on, let’s go outside. It’s the perfect day to work on our tans,” she hooks her arm with his and they walk outside into the backyard. “I will give you a tour of the house later,” she promises when he tries to wander off.

“Wow, you really hit the jackpot here. Maybe you two should remain married forever if you get to live here,” Travis suggests.

“If he wasn’t so eager to get rid of me and find himself a real wife,” she mutters under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” she dismisses his question. “Did you bring sunscreen?” she asks trying to change the subject.

“I did but rewind and explain what you meant with the real wife comment?” Vic sighs but doesn’t answer. “Come on, Vic. There is obviously something wrong. Spill,” he demands as they sit down on the pool chairs.

“Luke made a comment today how we are only friends and that’s all we are ever going to be and how he basically can’t wait to get rid of me so he can find himself a real wife because I made him realize that he wants companionship.”

“So, you do have feelings for him?” Vic shakes her head vehemently. “You sound kinda jealous that he wants to replace you.” 

“No, that’s not it. I just… It made me wonder if that’s all anyone is ever going to see with me. Just a good friend but nothing more.”

“You sure that’s all this is?”

“I’m sure. I don’t want to be with him like that but I do eventually want to be with someone. I don’t want to end up alone with ten cats. Not that there's anything wrong with that but I don’t want that for myself. The thing is we get along, we are a lot alike and we actually click and if that doesn’t make a person even consider the possibility of more then why would anyone want to be with me?” she huffs. “What if no one wants to be with me like that?”

“Vic, you are amazing and you are still young. You will find someone eventually. Just be patient. For now you are married though and Ripley only seeing you as a friend is a good thing. It doesn’t complicate things and you two really don’t need anymore complications, right?”

Vic groans. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thanks, Travis,” she hugs him before standing up and jumping into the pool.

“Hey, you forgot to put on sunscreen,” he yells.

“I’ll do it later,” she tells him as she just floats around. 

“How’s the water?” Travis wonders.

“Come in and find out,” Vic laughs as Travis carefully dips his toes but quickly withdraws them and shivers.

“Damn, that’s cold.”

“Oh, don’t be such a baby. Come in! You were so excited before.”

“Yeah, I’m not interested in frostbite. I think I will just soak up some sun and work on that tan you mentioned before,” he says as he puts on sunscreen and Vic just shakes her head.

“You are no fun at all. I should have invited Maya and Andy instead but that probably would have been really awkward.”

“Didn’t they apologize,” Travis says matter of factly.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure they actually meant it,” Travis raises an eyebrow. “Or more like they did mean it but they are still judging me if that makes sense,” Vic explains as Travis makes himself comfortable in the chaise.

“I know what you mean,” he nods.

“Do you think they would think differently if they knew the truth?” Vic wonders. 

“Honestly? I think it would probably be worse. I don’t think either would understand and if Captain Herrera knew the truth and about Frankel’s involvement in all this, he would probably rip her a new one like he tried with Ripley the other day.”

Vic laughs and nods. “True.”

“Andy and Maya will get over it eventually. Give them some time. It’s probably weird to them thinking of you as the big boss’ wife and what you could possibly share with Ripley about them. They are probably scared for their jobs and are wondering what will happen to the station if you two get into a fight or worse if you two get divorced.”

“I mean they don’t have to worry about that obviously because we are not really married and we won’t be fighting because nothing to fight about since this is not real. Also, Luke would never let his personal life affect his work.”

“If you say so.”

“Okay, we might end up fighting about stuff since we are living together but this is still not a real marriage. So stop that thing you do,” Vic complains and splashes some water at him.

“Hey, stop it! The water is really cold,” Travis cries, making Vic laugh at him. “You are being mean and I will leave if you don’t stop,” he threatens and Vic stops splashing water at him but keeps laughing.

“I don’t even know why I’m friends with you,” she says while he flips her off. “Oh, very mature, Montgomery.”

“You started it, Hughes. Oh no wait, Mrs. Ripley,” he counters as Vic rolls her eyes and goes back to swimming. “Hey, I was talking to you. Don’t just swim away from me.”

  
“If you want to keep talking, get into the water,” she yells.

“Then I guess we are not talking,” he replies and just sits back in his chaise.

Vic is okay with that as she shuts off her brain and just swims her rounds, enjoying the nice cool water against her skin. She doesn’t know how long she has been inside the pool when she finally emerges and walks past Travis, dripping water all over him.

“Dammit, Vic. You got me all wet,” Vic rolls her eyes at him again as she towels herself off and starts putting on sunscreen.

“Travis, can you do my back, please?” she asks as she hands him the bottle and he nods, sits up from his chaise and motions for her to sit down between his legs. “So, you wanna go out tonight?” she asks as he starts rubbing cream all over her back.

“What about Ripley?”

“What about him? He is not my keeper. I’m still allowed to go out and have fun without him.”

“What if someone sees you? What will it look like, you out on your own without your husband?”

“We are not joined at the hip. As long as I don’t start taking off my clothes and making out with random strangers, I think it’s okay to go out with my best friend for a couple of drinks and to dance and have some fun.”

“Okay,” he agrees. “All done here.” he adds as he throws the bottle into the shadow and Vic plops down onto her own chaise to soak up some sun herself.

\----------

Lucas sits at his desk in his office and what he should be doing is paperwork and prepare for the meeting with Frankel and Hernandez but instead he is thinking about his conversation with Sully. He hates how disappointed his friend was with him for the whole situation with Vic. He is brought back to reality when his assistant announces Frankel and Hernandez.

“I thought the meeting was at ten,” he wonders.

“It is ten, sir. Are you okay?” Tanya wants to know.

“Yeah. Sorry. I just lost track of time. Please, send them in,” he stands up from his desk as Franke and Hernandez walk in and greets them before sitting back down. He looks for his file because he can’t for the life of him remember what this meeting is about. 

“What the hell happened to you? You look awful,” Frankel tells him, making him glare at her. 

“He is a newly wed, Deb, and his wife is much younger than him. She probably wore him out last night. Ain’t I right, boss?” Oscar Hernandez jokes.

“Are we here to discuss my personal life or the candidates for the Captain position at Station 23?” Lucas huffs.

“Sorry sir,” Deb and Oscar apologize.

“Do you have any favorites?” Deb asks.

“I just want someone competent and efficient to run that station. Vic once said that 23 is where the slugs of the department go to get slower,” Deb laughs as does Oscar.

“Well, she is not wrong,” Deb agrees, surprising Lucas.

“Then we better do something about it. Every other station is in top form and I’ll be damned if I let 23 bring down the entire department.”

“What about Gibson from 19?” Oscar wonders.

“What about him?” Deb asks.

“I watched him the other day. He was quick on his feet and the way he remained calm with hell breaking loose all around him really impressed me. I think it’s time to promote him. He has been a lieutenant for years. I think he could really turn 23 around. All the other candidates, like Lieutenant Lawson from 42 and Lieutenant McKee from 88, are good but I think Gibson is just a natural born leader,” Oscar asserts.

Lucas thinks about Lawson and how Sully would surely be grateful if he moved him out of 42. Lawson was certainly a good firefighter, a bit cocky at times and he loved to gossip which drove his best friend crazy but he definitely would be a good captain and he had more experience than either McKee or Gibson.

“What do you think, Rip?” Deb asks. “You agree with Oscar?”

“I was actually thinking that Lawson would be a good fit for 23. He has the most experience out of the candidates. Gibson might be able to take over 19 when Herrera decides to leave.”

“I don’t think he plans on retiring anytime soon,” Oscar says matter of factly.

“Maybe so but until he does let's keep Gibson at 19. I think he fits there best,” both Battalion Chiefs nod at him.

“Is there anything else we need to discuss?” Lucas asks.

“That was all for today,” Deb tells him.

“Good. You two are dismissed,” Deb and Oscar get up and leave his office.

Lucas spends the rest of the day with paperwork and more meetings discussing things he has no interest in and he wishes for a juicy call that he can sink his teeth in instead. He knows it’s wrong but he is just so bored. 

He can’t wait just to go home and maybe cook dinner with Vic and have a nice evening with her but when he finally arrives at his house, he finds it empty. No Vic, no note, no nothing. For a moment he considers calling her but he can’t do that. They are fake-married and he can’t just call her to check her whereabouts. So instead, he makes dinner for one, reads a book and goes to bed early.

He wakes up in the middle of the night to a noise coming from downstairs. As he gets out of his bedroom and walks down the stairs he hears whispering and giggling. He can make out two voices, one is Vic’s and the other one sounds a lot like Montgomery. He switches the lights on to find Montgomery with his arm around an almost passed out Vic and he seems to be quite drunk himself as he can barely keep her upright.

“I’m sorry, Chief. We didn’t mean to wake you,” the younger man apologizes as Lucas moves forward. He takes Vic’s arm to put it around his shoulders and lifts her up bridal style. She is not exactly heavy but she ain’t light either, especially since she is drunk.

“I know I’m not your real wife but please don’t drop me,” she slurs, making him sigh.

“Don’t worry, Eggy. I won’t,” he promises and looks at Montgomery. “Can you walk?” he nods. “Good. I have another guest room. You can sleep in there. I don’t want you out on the street like that. Vic would never forgive me if something happened to you.”

Vic has her arms wrapped around his shoulders with her face buried in the crook of his neck and it’s hard for Lucas to concentrate as he slowly walks up the stairs. He hopes that he doesn’t drop her or fall because he wouldn’t know how to explain those bruises to anyone.

He finally makes it to her room, thankfully in one piece. He orders her best friend to wait outside to which he salutes him, making Lucas roll his eyes at how ridiculous this entire situation is.

He lays her down on her bed and pulls the covers over her body.

“I’ll be right back, Vic,” he tells her and leaves to find Montgomery sleeping against the wall. He has no idea how that even works and wonders if he would stay upright the entire night if he just left him there but he can’t do that, so he wakes him up.

“What? Huh? Where am I?” he asks disoriented and wobbly. “Chief? Is that you? What are you doing at my place?”

“Montgomery, you are in my house and rather drunk. Can you walk on your own?” he asks and Montgomery nods. “Okay. Follow me,” he instructs as he walks towards the second guest room. He can hear footsteps behind him as he opens the door and lets him walk into the room. “Sadly, there is no bathroom in here but there is one right outside to your left.”

The younger man plops onto the bed and sighs. “I’m sorry, Chief.”

“You already said that.”

“I didn’t realize how much she was drinking. I left her for just a moment to go to the restroom and came back to her drinking one shot after another with those guys who kept on buying them for her,” Lucas can’t hide the concern on his face. “Don’t worry, she wasn’t interested in them only the shots,” he assures him.

  
“Okay. You should sleep now. I know you two are on shift tomorrow. Just be glad you are not starting early.”

Lucas leaves the room and goes back into Vic’s to find her gone. He knocks on her bathroom door and then slowly opens it but she isn’t there either. He decides to check his own room but no Vic, so he walks back downstairs to find her sitting on the kitchen counter, in her underwear, munching on the leftovers from his dinner. His breath hitches at the sight of her and he has to reprimand himself for staring.

She beams when she finally notices him. “You know if the career as chief doesn’t work out for you then you really should consider becoming a chef. This is amazing,” she says with her mouth full and it looks both adorable and ridiculous at the same time.

“What are you doing down here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I got the munchies,” she slurs matter of factly and giggles.

“I could have brought it up to your room. You could have tripped and hurt yourself,” he shakes his head.

“But I didn’t. No bruises anywhere. You can examine my body if you like,” she says as she puts the tupperware aside and tries to hop off the counter, only to lose her balance and fall right into his arms. She starts laughing and Lucas just looks at her like she is insane.

“What’s so funny?” he wonders.

“You did once say that you would catch me should I stumble,” she giggles as she puts her arms around his neck. “I know I’m not the real deal but can you still carry me back upstairs? I think I’m ready to go to sleep,” she mumbles.

“Sure,” he sighs as he picks her up again and he knows his back will be killing him in the morning but he just can’t seem to say no to her.

“Thank you, hubby,” she smiles at him as she kisses his cheek.

“You are welcome, Eggy,” he chuckles as he walks back upstairs into her room and lays her down once again and pulls the covers over her frame. “No more venturing around the house, okay?” he orders and she salutes him just like her best friend did earlier, just more adorable.

“Good night, Luke,” he hears as he turns off her lights.

“Good night, Vic,” he sighs once more before leaving her room and walking back into his and lying down in his own bed. 

One thing was for sure. Life with Victoria Hughes wasn’t boring. 

\----------

Vic wakes up with a major headache that brings her back to her night in Vegas and the first thing she does is to check if she is alone in her bed. She is relieved to discover that she didn’t seduce her fake husband last night but does remember sitting in the kitchen, in her underwear, when he found her and then asked him to carry her upstairs again and she wants to sink into the ground. She swears to never touch alcohol ever again - knows that she will anyway - as she slowly gets out of bed and into the bathroom to take a quick shower. She really needs coffee and she needs a lot of it. She quickly does her hair and puts on some clothes and walks downstairs to find Luke and Travis in the kitchen cooking breakfast together and it’s a weird sight.

“Did I enter the twilight zone or why is my fake husband making breakfast with my best friend?” she wonders as both turn around and she doesn’t know how Travis looks so fresh-faced when she feels and probably looks like death warmed over.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he sounds way too cheerful for a person that is supposed to be hungover.

“Please, tell me I’m not the only one hungover.”

“The chief made me this special smoothie with kale and celery that really helped,” Vic feels sick to her stomach as Travis hands her a glass with some weird looking green stuff in it.

“Ew, that looks really gross,” she smells it, “smells even worse.”

“Just drink it, Vic,” Luke tells her. “It will help. I promise,” he hands her some ibuprofen and a glass of water. “Drink all that. Coffee is almost ready and I’m making pancakes. This will help, trust me.”

She looks at him doubtful but does as he says and drinks the weird looking green stuff and gags immediately. “Oh, this is vile.”

“Drink up, Vic,” Travis encourages her and she just drowns it and gags some more before taking some ibuprofen. 

She slowly walks over to the coffeemaker and pours herself a mug before sitting down at the table and putting her head in her hands.

She was definitely not looking forward to work today. Captain Herrera was going to freak out, probably put her on desk duty and reprimand her. She looks up and watched Travis and Luke as they whisper something to each other and laugh. She can’t help but wonder what that is all about but before she can ask them they are already walking towards her with delicious pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausages and other tasty things and Vic just forgets everything else as she inhales the food, making them both chuckle.

“See I told you. She is like a vacuum when it comes to food. I don’t know where she puts it all and how she keeps her body looking like that when she barely works out,” Travis says as he sits down next to her and Vic almost chokes on her pancakes as she looks up to see Luke blush, probably thinking about her body in the state of undress from last night. “Are you okay, Vic?” Travis wonders as he pats her on the back.

“Sure, just went down the wrong pipe, is all,” she takes a sip from her coffee as Travis nods, oblivious to the whole thing between her and Luke. “Are you leaving already?” she pouts as she sees him grab his bag.

“I gotta run. I have an early meeting. You two enjoy breakfast and your shift,” he winks at them and chuckles, prompting Vic to throw a kitchen towel, missing him. “You really should work at your aim, Eggy,” he teases and leaves the kitchen.

“What where you two talking about?” Vic suddenly asks Travis while stuffing her mouth with food.

“Nothing really,” he tells her while she raising an eyebrow. “ Okay, okay. I was just telling him how I used to make breakfast with Michael all the time and how I missed that. Ripley told me that I’m always welcome here,” he explains and Vic smiles. “He really is a great guy. Someone else probably would have thrown me out last night but he was worried that something would happen to me and that you would kick his ass for it,” Vic chuckles because that’s definitely something she would have done.

“How are we going to survive work today?” she wonders. 

“I feel fine,” Travis shrugs as he takes a bite from his bacon.

“You suck, is what you do,” Vic punches him in the shoulder.

“Ouch, I bruise easily,” he complains as he slaps her arm.

“What are you, five?”

“You started it,” he pouts.

“Yeah, I will totally tell Captain Herrera to not put us together today. You are annoying.”

And that is how the rest of their day goes as the captain benches them both and puts them on cleaning duty.


	10. A Date with Cupid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ripleys hang out with the Sullivans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again everyone for reading, commenting and giving kudos. I really appreciate it. 
> 
> Whenever I read that I made someone laugh that brings me such joy. So thank you so much <3

Dinner with the Sullivans gets postponed twice. The first time just as Luke and Vic enter the house. Luke gets a call about a big fire at a nursing home that requires his assistance. Vic and Robert tag along because it’s all hands on deck. It takes the entire night to evacuate the building and get the fire under control. Afterwards, they go home to rest and make plans for the coming week but as luck would have it, Claire and Bobby Jr. get sick with a nasty flu, so they have to postpone again and Vic wonders if they are ever going to make it work.

Saturday finally arrives and Vic is standing in her room looking at the mountain of clothes on her bed. It’s a hot day in Seattle, hotter than usual and she has absolutely no idea what to wear. She was wearing jeans and a simple shirt for the first dinner and was going to wear something similar for the second one but it was not nearly as hot as today so she needed something breezy. 

There is a knock at the door and without thinking she replies, “come in.”

Luke opens the door before she can grab a robe to cover herself up and so he gets to see her in her underwear for the second time in less than a month.

He immediately turns around and almost runs into the door. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. I swear I heard you say to come in. I didn’t mean to...” he stutters and Vic can’t help but chuckle.

“Relax. I did say come in. I forgot that I was only in my underwear,” she says as she tightens her robe around her waist. “You can turn around again. I’m decent,” he turns around and looks at her, his cheeks flushed. “You know this is the second time you have seen me in my underwear now. It’s a bit unfair because I have yet to see you in yours,” she pouts as his cheeks turn an even darker shade of red.

“You expect me to strip for you? Now? That will make us late for sure,” he jokes.

“Well, turnabout is fair play,” she winks as he shakes his head. 

“Why are you still not dressed? You know that hate being late,” he complains.

“I don’t know what to wear. It’s much easier for guys. You basically just throw on the first thing you see,” he is wearing khaki shorts and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a couple of buttons undone, showing off his chest and Vic feels her mouth water at the sight of him.

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” He sounds offended.

“Nothing wrong with it. You look really handsome,” she admits.

“Um, thank you,” he blushes. “Why don’t you just wear a pair of jeans and a shirt like last time?”

“Have you noticed how hot it is outside?” She glares at him.

“Okay, okay. I’m sure there is some nice dress in there somewhere,” he looks at the mess on her bed and takes a step towards it. “What about this one?” He points at a short dark blue dress with little cherries on it. “That one looks really cute,” he tells her and smiles proudly like he had just solved world hunger. “Just wear something, please,” he begs her and Vic groans.

“Okay. Out!” she orders as he leaves her room.

She grabs the dress he picked and smirks as she realizes that it has an open back which means she can’t wear a bra. She quickly takes off her bra and puts on the dress and some flats and goes downstairs. He is already pacing impatiently and keeps checking his watch. He looks up when he hears her chuckle and she swears his eyes turn black as his gaze meets hers and his eyes wander up and down her body. He must really like the dress, Vic thinks.

“It’s just dinner with your best friends. It doesn’t matter if we are a couple of minutes late,” she groans as she stands in front of him. “You know if you hadn’t told them about our little arrangement we could have just said that we had sex and that’s why we are late,” Vic shrugs as she walks past him, giving him a perfect view of her back.

Vic can’t help herself as she yells, “Are you coming?”

\----------

Lucas looks at his watch for the millionth time as he leaves his bedroom already dressed, ready to go. He knocks on Vic’s door and hears her tell him to come in, only to find her in the middle of the room in nothing but her underwear. He quickly turns around, muttering an apology, wanting to leave her room and almost walking into the door. 

“Relax. I did say come in. I forgot that I was only in my underwear,” his hand is on the doorknob as she tells him that she is decent. He slowly turns around and looks at her, his cheeks flushed. “You know this is the second time you have seen me in my underwear now. It’s a bit unfair because I have yet to see you in yours,” she pouts and he is sure his entire face and neck are red now. For the past few weeks he had tried not to think about her in her underwear on top of the kitchen counter and what her skin had felt like when he carried her back to her room but it was impossible because the image was burned into his brain.

“You expect me to strip for you? Now? That will make us late for sure,” he jokes.

“Well, turnabout is fair play,” she winks as he shakes his head. He is sure that she is trying to kill him.   

He complains about her still not being ready and she just rolls her eyes.

“I don’t know what to wear. It’s much easier for guys. You basically just throw on the first thing you see,” she looks him up and down and Lucas thinks he sees her eyes darken but he shakes that thought from his mind.

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” He asks, expecting her to say something mean but she surprises him when she admits that he looks handsome.

“Um, thank you,” he blushes. “Why don’t you just wear a pair of jeans and a shirt like last time?” he suggests, remembering how good she looked last time.

“Have you noticed how hot it is outside?” She glares at him and yes, he knows how hot it is and it gets even hotter thinking about her in her underwear.

“Okay, okay. I’m sure there is some nice dress in there somewhere,” he points to the mess on her bed and takes a step towards it. “What about this one?” He sees a short dark blue dress with little cherries on it. “That one looks really cute,” he says happily. “Just wear something, please,” he begs her and Vic groans.

She orders him out of her room, so he leaves and walks downstairs. Five minutes later she emerges from her room and descends the stairs and Lucas can’t help but stare. She is a vision. That dress looks perfect on her, shows off her gorgeous, long legs and he is pretty sure she is not wearing a bra underneath and it takes everything in him to not embarrass himself in front of her.

“It’s just dinner with your best friends. It doesn’t matter if we are a couple of minutes late,” she groans as she stops right in front of him. “You know if you hadn’t told them about our little arrangement we could have just said that we had sex and that’s why we are late,” she shrugs as she turns and walks out of the house showing off the open back of her dress which comfirms the lack of bra and Lucas curses himself for picking that one. He just gapes not able to move.

“Are you coming?” She chuckles and he is pretty sure she will be the death of him.

He comes out of his stupor, follows her to his car and opens the door for her like the gentlemen that he is. She smiles and thanks him as he closes the door shut. He walks to the other side, enters the vehicle and starts it.

The drive is a short one, only fifteen minutes but the atmosphere is charged and neither one is speaking until she finally breaks the silence in her typical Vic manner.

“So, do you like my cherries?” She asks innocently, making Lucas grip the steering wheel until his knuckles are white.

“Excuse me?” He exhales sharply.

“My cherries?” She repeats. “The ones on my dress?” She smirks.

“Oh those. Sure, I like those,” he responds as she takes off her flats and puts her feet up on the dashboard, making her dress ride up and show off her toned thighs. He inhales sharply and tries to concentrate on the road which is becoming increasingly harder just like something else as he wishes it away while Vic hums along to the radio unaware of his current situation.

They are twenty minutes late because Lucas doesn’t trust himself to go any faster than 15 mph but at least he no longer has a hard on, so he takes that as a win.

He parks in front of the house, exits the car and opens the door for her again. He knows that Vic can open it for herself and that she doesn’t expect him to but he feels like it’s a sign of good manners, something his mother had taught him.

“Let’s hope we finally manage to have this dinner,” Vic jokes as she rings the doorbell. A moment later the door swings open and Claire greets them as she ushers them inside. 

“You’re late,” she notes.

“We did not have sex,” Lucas blurts out. “Dammit, Vic! This is all your fault,” he blames her for putting that thought in his head as both women just stare at him. Vic is sporting a smirk while Claire just chuckles.

“We are late because grandpa over here confused the gas with the break,” she teases him, making Claire chuckle some more.

“I’m gonna go and find Sully so I don’t embarrass myself some more,” he tells them and walks away.

\----------

Robert is in the middle of getting the salmon out of the oven when he hears footsteps and sees his best friend walking into the kitchen.

“That smells amazing. I should have married you when I had the chance,” he jokes, making Robert chuckle.

“Yeah, sorry to disappoint you, buddy, but you never had a chance. No way I would have chosen your pasty white ass over Claire’s perfectly pear shaped one,” he laughs.

“Oh, you wound me greatly, old friend,” he answers mock-hurt.

“So, where is Mrs. Ripley?” He gets a kick out of reminding Luke that he is married again.

“Claire is probably showing her around the house. I just hope that she doesn’t try to play cupid. It’s the last thing I need,” Luke sighs.

“She promised she wouldn’t,” he replies, knowing all too well that his wife will meddle, had wanted to since the BBQ. “Is something wrong?” He asks as Luke grabs two beers from the fridge, opens them and hands him one.

“No. Everything is fine,” he sighs and Robert knows that everything is not fine.

“Luke,” he says in a stern voice. “It’s me. What’s going on?” He wants to know.

“It’s Vic. I walked in on her in her underwear. I mean, I immediately turned around but still,” Luke complains and Robert looks at him knowingly. “What’s that look for?”

“I thought you two are just friends and there could never be anything between you two besides friendship?” Robert repeats Luke’s words from a couple of weeks ago.

“We are just friends,” replies defensively. 

“Then that shouldn’t bother you. Just imagine it’s her in a bikini,” Robert knows that Luke imaging Vic in a bikini would be just as much torture for him as her in underwear but he can’t help it.

“Bikinis are not lacy and sheer,” Luke spits out.

“That’s a lot of detail for turning around immediately,” he teases.

“That was from the other night,” he winces as soon as the words leave his mouth, making Robert chuckle. He walked right into that one.

“The other night?” He raises an eyebrow. “How many times have you seen her in her underwear?”

“Just twice and she is being a little shit about it and teasing me,” there is a spark in his eyes and Robert knows that his best friend is a complete goner. He was totally smitten with Vic and Claire would have her work out for her simply because of Luke’s stubbornness to see it.

“Okay, stop complaining about your wonderful wife and help me,” he hands him an apron.

“I’m a guest here. Do you make all your guests help you in the kitchen?” He groans but takes the apron.

“Your wife is a guest,” he corrects him. “You are a part of the family and damn right, I will make you work for your food,” he laughs while Luke shakes his head but helps anyway.

\----------

“What was that about?” Claire wonders as they watch Luke walk away.

“Oh, I was teasing him earlier about how if you didn’t know the truth we could have just said we had sex and that’s why we are late,” both women laugh. Claire really like Vic and she likes Luke with Vic. He just seems more carefree and happier.

“Let me show you around,” Claire offers as her guest nods. “That’s a really nice dress,” she notes as she gets a glimpse of the backside. “I like the open back.”

“Luke picked it. He was getting annoyed with me for taking so long,” she rolls her eyes.

“Men,” they complain in unison and laugh.

“They don’t get how much work goes into looking effortless,” Claire replies while Vic nods in agreement.

“Oh my god, is that Robert with hair?” Vic suddenly asks as she spies their wedding photo on the wall.

“Yep,” Claire chuckles. “He looks like a different person in it,” Vic nods, obviously not paying attention to her as her eyes must have caught sight of her fake husband. “Luke was our best man and that woman next to him is Celeste, ex-wife number one.”

“That’s not what I expected,” Vic responds.

“What did you expect?” Claire wonders.

“I don’t know. Blonde, blue eyed, leggy...”

“That would be Eva, ex-wife number two,” she reveals. “Luke doesn’t really have a type when it comes to looks. He just likes feisty, strong women who know what they want and go for it. That’s why you make sense.”

“You forget that we are not really married,” she says, still looking at the photo.

“Sure but you are still his type,” Claire assures her but Vic ignores it.

“Is that little girl his sister Jennifer?” Claire nods. “She looks just like him.”

“He raised her after his parents died.”

“I know. He told me,” Claire looks at her in surprise. Luke rarely talked about that. He must have really felt a connection with Vic to tell her something so painful and private. “We were hanging out in Vegas before our flight back to Seattle and just talked. I told him about my parents and he shared about his,” Vic explains.

“I’m just surprised because he usually doesn’t open up, especially about that,” Vic just shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“Where is Bobby Jr. by the way?” she asks as she looks at a picture of him and Luke playing ball.

“Oh, he is staying over at a friends house. It’s just us adults tonight,” she replies while Vic is still staring at the photo. “Luke’s gonna be a great father someday.”

“Yeah, once he finds the right woman,” Vic mutters and Claire thinks she hears bitterness in her voice but ignores it.

“He adores my son. Loves going camping with him and teaching him new things. It’s really beautiful to see them together.” Vic nods.

“How come you two only have Bobby Jr.?” Vic wonders, making Claire wince. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Me and my big mouth. That is none of my business. I didn’t mean to pry. You don’t have to answer of course. I’m really sorry, Claire.”

“No, it’s okay. I was in an accident about fifteen years ago. It was really bad and I almost died hadn’t it been for Luke. He was Robert’s Lieutenant at that time and they were rushing me to the hospital. Luke decided to give me amiodarone to restart my heart but Robert warned him that I was allergic to iodine. Luke dismissed it and gave it to me anyway. It ended up being the right call. They got me to the hospital in time and the doctors were able to save me. The recovery was long and painful but I was alive and that was all that mattered. Robert was mad at Luke at first for ignoring him but then he realized that he was only doing what he thought was best and they patched things up. I had trouble getting pregnant after the surgery until one day, years later, it finally happened for us,” Claire recounts as she looks at a photo of her with her newborn son and wipes away a tear. “We would have loved to have another one but we are happy to at least have this one,” she smiles fondly.

“Thanks for sharing that with me. You really didn’t have to.”

“Well, you are family now,” she squeezes Vic’s hand and smiles at her.

“Only for a few more months,” and there is that bitterness again, Claire notes. 

“You know, it was Luke that helped deliver his godson,” Vic looks at her in surprise. “Luke was driving me home while Robert was on a call and my son decided he wanted out of his prison, three weeks early. It was pouring down and suddenly one of the tires popped and we spun in the air. Thankfully we didn’t land on the roof but I was stuck and couldn’t move. Luke called for help but his phone died in the middle of the call and I left mine at home, pregnancy brain, and we were stuck there in the middle of nowhere,” Claire pauses and takes a deep breath. “Luke was amazing though. He sprang into action and delivered the baby like it was nothing. He saved my life, again, and that of his godson. We heard the sirens a moment later and I was told that Robert jumped out of the moving truck and ran towards us. He was so happy and relieved that we were all okay. He could have lost his entire family that night.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that. Sounds like you went through a lot with Luke.”

“Yeah, we did. He is part of our family and we want nothing more than for him to be happy.”

“Well, he will be once I’m out of the picture,” Vic replies bitterly and Claire wants to ask what that is all about but Robert interrupts them.

“Hey babe, dinner is served,” he says softly and smiles. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying?”

“I’m fine. I was just telling Vic about our son's birth,” she explains.

“Oh, don’t remind me. I still can’t believe that my best friend has seen your lady business,” Robert groans as Luke walks up behind him.

“It wasn’t like I was looking at it. I was more concerned with the head sticking out of it then anything else,” he jokes which earns him a playful punch to the shoulder from her husband and makes both women laugh.

“Okay, enough talking about my lady business. Let’s get this dinner started before someone interrupts us again.”

They say their prayers before dinner and have a pleasant evening together, just talking and bonding and decide to make it a regular thing. Claire packs them some leftovers for later and they say goodbye.

Later when it’s just her and her husband getting ready for bed, they discuss the evening with their friends.

“This was a fun evening,” he says as she nods in agreement. “I can’t wait for the next one. It was nice seeing Luke so happy and cheerful. I don’t think I have ever seen him like that before.”

“Until you started teasing him and telling embarrassing stories about him,” she reminds him.

“Well, Vic deserved to know those things about her husband.”

Claire shakes her head but laughs. “Did you see how in sync they were? They were almost as bad as we are.”

Robert snickers. “I know and they have only been living together for like three weeks? Imagine them after a year. They will be the same person,” he jokes. “How was your one on one with Vic?” he wonders.

“Good and weird.”

“Weird, how?”

“I don’t know just whenever I would bring up a future with Luke, she made a snarky comment about him and the real one or something like that,” Claire answers.

“Oh,” her husband replies obviously knowing something. “I didn’t give you all the details because I didn’t think it was relevant. I just told you he was lying to himself,” Claire nods at him. “He went on about Vic just being his friend and making him realize that he wanted to be with someone and how once the whole charade with her was over he would find himself something real,” it all makes sense to her now. “She must have overheard our conversation,” she nods.

“You know this might be both the easiest and hardest meddling mission,” Claire laughs. ”Easy because they are already halfway in love with each other and hard because they are both stubborn idiots,” Robert laughs as he grabs her by the waist and starts dancing with her. 

“Good thing I wasn’t as stubborn. I saw you on that rink and knew you were it for me,” he beams at her as he plants a kiss on her lips.

“Yeah and you were so ridiculous trying to impress me, limps flying everywhere and then you bumped into the wall. You had absolutely no game,” she chuckles.

“No, I didn’t but you still married me,” he smiles.

She nods. “Any guy willing to make a fool out of himself for a girl is worth taking a chance on and I made the right choice. I love you, Robert.” She kisses him as he picks her up, carries her to their bed and lays her down gently.

“I love you, too, Claire,” he whispers against her lips as she wraps her legs around his waist. “We should make good use of our son being at his friends house tonight,” he suggests as he kisses down her neck.

“Definitely,” she agrees as she flips them over, making him chuckle. “You know I like being on top,” she smirks before kissing him again and showing him just how much she loves him.

\----------

They are in the car on their way back home when he sees her shiver out of the corner of his eye. He reaches behind him and grabs the blanket from the backseat and hands it to her.

“Thank you,” she replies as she wraps the blanket around her frame. “Claire tried selling me a car today,” she blurts out. “The car being you.”

Lucas laughs at her analogy. “I’m sorry. I told her not to play cupid.”

“I wasn’t complaining.”

“You weren’t?” he asks surprised.

She shakes her head. “It was nice hearing how important you are to them and how much you guys have been through. You really are a family,” he can hear the sadness in her voice.

“You are a part of that family now, you know,” he assures her.

“Yeah but only for the time being since you know this thing with us is temporary,” it stings hearing those words come out of her mouth. “Once this year is over we go back to being Chief Ripley and Hughes again, we won’t be going to dinner with your best friends anymore because that would be weird.”

“So, we don’t even get to be friends once we are divorced?” he asks, knowing the answer already.

“Um, not really. I mean, who stays friends with their ex-husband who is also their boss?” she replies. “Plus, I don’t think the fourth Mrs. Ripley would like ex-wife number three hanging around her husband outside of work,” she tells him as she looks out the window obviously not wanting to continue with the conversation.

“I guess you’re right,” he agrees but already hates the thought of not having her in his life anymore. 

By the time they arrive at home, she is already asleep and Lucas looks at her and smiles sadly. Letting her go won’t be easy. He unbuckles his seatbelt and walks around the car to carefully open her door. He debates whether he should just carry her to her room but decides to wake her instead.

“Vic, wake up! We are home,” he whispers as he gently nudges her.

“Hm, what?” She asks confused.

“We are home,” Lucas repeats as she finally wakes up.

“Oh, yeah. Thanks. Sorry, I didn’t realize how tired I was,” she gets out of the car and wobbles a little bit. 

“You need my help?” He asks but she shakes her head and grabs the house keys from him and walks towards the entrance to let herself in. He follows after her and locks the door behind him.

“Thanks for the nice evening, Luke. I’m heading to bed,” she says as she climbs the stairs. Lucas just stares after her before walking into the kitchen and putting the leftovers away. He grabs a glass from the cupboard and pours himself some scotch and drowns it in one go before going to bed himself.

\----------

Vic wakes up the next day around noon and finds the house empty, wondering for a second where Luke went, realizing she had no business questioning his whereabouts. She walks into the kitchen and makes herself some coffee, wanting some pie with it but they are all out, so she decides to make one herself.

She puts her hair up, washes her hands and prepares all the ingredients.

She adds the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl and mixes it with a fork until its combined, then adds in cubed butter and mixes it with the flour. She gradually adds the ice water and continues to mix until the dough starts to come together.

She knows how much work goes into making pie crust from scratch but it relaxes her and it tastes much better than store bought premade pie crust. She always makes sure to have ingredients at home to bake.

She works the dough with her hands and turns it out onto a surface, working it into a ball before covering it with cling wrap and putting it in the fridge.

She peels the apples, then cores and slices them, puts them in a bowl and adds sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice before mixing it until all is combined and all apples are coated with the mixture. She puts the bowl into the fridge as well.

Next, she preheats the oven to 375°F and removes the dough from the fridge, cuts it in half and rolls out both halves until they are round. She rolls the dough around the rolling pin and unrolls it onto a pie dish making sure the dough reaches all edges. She removes the apple filling from the fridge and pours it on top, patting it down before rolling the other half of dough on top. Next, she trims the extra dough from the edges and pinches the edges to create a crimp, making sure the edges are sealed together. She brushes the pie with some beaten egg and sprinkles it with some sugar, then cuts four slits in the top of the pie to create a vent before putting it in the oven and setting the timer.

Baking doesn’t just relax her but also gives her the feeling of accomplishment in some way. She can’t really explain it. She just likes creating things especially when she can eat them afterwards.

She pours herself another mug of coffee when the doorbell rings. She sets it aside and runs towards the door to open it.

“Oh, Claire. Hi! Luke is not here. I actually have no idea where he is,” she tells her.

“I know. He went camping with my boys. I figured we could hang out unless you have other plans,” she suggests as Vic smiles and lets her in.

“I was just making pie,” Vic announces as Claire looks at her surprised. “I know, I know. I don’t look like the baking type. Everyone is always shocked,” she explains. “I would have made one last night but it was too hot to bake.”

“Don’t worry about it. I totally understand. Why do you think I let Robert make dinner? There was no way I was going to stand in the kitchen and cook during that heat,” she admits, making Vic laugh. “Do you need any help?” she asks.

“Oh, I just put it in the oven. You have perfect timing. There should be fresh apple pie in about fifty minutes,” she says proudly as they walk into the kitchen. “Would you like some coffee?” Claire nods. “Milk? Sugar?” she asks.

“No, thanks. I like it black,” Vic nods and hands her the mug before sitting down. “I wanted to apologize to you. I didn’t mean to “sell you a car”,” she laughs.

“Dammit, Luke told you,” Claire nods.

“If I made you feel uncomfortable or anything, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how much I was talking about him. He is just a big part of our lives..”

“Something tells me that you knew exactly what you were doing,” Vic teases her, making Claire blush. “And you didn’t make me feel uncomfortable or anything but I think you may be barking up the wrong tree here. Luke and I will never be a couple. No matter how much people seem to want us to be. We are friends for the time being.”

“The time being?” She asks curiously.

“Well, once we divorce we are going back to being Chief Ripley and Hughes. There is no room for a friendship between exes,” Vic explains.

“You do realize that some exes remain friends, right?”

“Yeah, but once we both start dating other people it will be weird to be friends with your ex-husband,” Vic tells her and she really just wants to not think about him dating anyone else.

“Well, then you two just don’t divorce and stay together instead,” Vic rolls her eyes.

“You don’t give up, do you?”

“Never. Not when I know that two people are meant to be.”

“Oh, poor Claire. Luke and I are only meant to get divorced and nothing else,” Vic says. “But I do love your determination,” Claire laughs.

“Oh, poor Vic. You are so full of shit,” she tells her and laughs. Vic knows that Claire is right about that but she doesn’t have to know that she is right.

They talk and eat pie and Vic really appreciates the company. Claire feels like the sister she never had and she enjoys listening to her stories about Robert and Bobby Jr. and there are lots of stories that include Luke as well and Vic enjoys listening to those the most. She discovers a lot of things about her “husband” that make her like him a whole lot more - as if she needed to like him even more.

They are so absorbed in their conversation that they don’t notice the rain when suddenly the front door bursts open and they hear male voices coming from the main hall.

They find Luke, Robert and Bobby Jr. soaking wet, dripping all over the floor and they can’t help but laugh. 

“You look and smell like wet dog,” Vic teases.

“The weather forecast said it wasn’t gonna rain until tomorrow,” Luke protest as Vic grabs some towels from the downstairs bathroom and hands them to the guys.

“Aww, poor you,” Vic teases again as he grabs her by the waist and hugs her, getting her all wet - as if Vic really cares about that.

“Dammit, Luke. Now I’m all wet thanks to you,” she complains as she snatches the towel from him to dry herself off.

“Ahem, little kids present,” Robert reminds them pointing at his son..

“I’m not a little kid, dad,” he cries out.

“I’ll stop calling you a little kid when you start paying the bills, okay?” He says as Bobby Jr. pouts, making Vic laugh.

“I don’t think we’ve officially met,” Vic walks up to him and extends her hand. “My name is Vic. I’m uncle Lucas’ wife,” she introduces herself. Claire had told her that Bobby Jr. couldn’t know the truth which Vic understood, so in front of the kid her and Luke would be the perfect couple.

He shakes her hand and smiles. “You are really pretty.”

“Thank you!” Vic smiles.

“You know, if things with uncle Lucas don’t work out, give me a call,” he winks at her making his parents laugh while she just shakes her head as she feels Luke come up behind her putting his arm possessively around her waist, pulling her again him. Vic feels herself melt against him and curses herself for it.

“I suggest you find yourself someone your own age,” Luke tells him.

“Isn’t Vic much younger than you are?” Bobby Jr. counters, making everyone burst into loud laughter.

“You're lucky you’re my godson and I love you,” Luke simply says as he lets go of Vic, making her miss his arm and warmth instantly.

“How about you guys towel off and then come into the kitchen. I made apple pie,” she watches as Luke’s eyes light up at the mention of it. 

He steps forward into her personal space and whispers, “that’s my favorite.”

“I know,” she winks at him and walks away with Claire right behind her.

“You’re so full of shit,” she repeats her words from before.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Vic replies, knowing that she is so damn screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the dress Vic was wearing: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/COLROVIE-Navy-V-Neck-Cherry-Print-Tied-Backless-Tea-Sexy-Dress-Women-2019-Summer-Puff-Sleeve/1157573_33012799382.html?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.25.688d7d82syZOuA
> 
> And this is what Lucas looked like: https://www.pinterest.at/pin/555420566540940908/?lp=true


	11. Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas get into a fight and have a visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed my mind about this chapter a million times and rewrote it a million times and I'm still not 100% sure about it. It's a little less on the funny side since they are fighting in this one but I hope you still enjoy it. There is a lot of funny stuff planned for the upcoming chapters.

Vic is staring at the clock, waiting for her shift to end. She feels like she could fall asleep standing up, that’s how exhausted she is. Captain Herrera had volunteered them for a double shift to help with overhaul at a coffee bean plant and she usually didn’t mind but she has been feeling like crap all week long - she is sure she is coming down with something - but she managed to power through the day and now she is waiting for the last thirty minutes of her shift to end and she prays that there are no last minute calls. 

She really just wants to go home, eat and then crawl into bed and stay there for the next three days. Maybe spend some time with Luke since she hasn’t seen much of him in the last few weeks. They both had been busy with work and Vic had to admit that she was missing their evenings together where they would just cook and eat together and hang out on the couch, watching TV or reading a book. It was very domestic and Vic really enjoyed it, never thought that she would but with Luke she did.

“Hey, Vic,” she hears Andy and looks up at her and Maya as they sit down across from her.

“What are your plans for the long weekend?” Andy asks.

“I don’t plan on leaving the bed for the next three days,” she tells them as she yawns.

“Chief Ripley is that good?” Maya smirks and wiggles her eyebrows.

“What? No, I didn’t mean it like that,” she protests.

“Come on, Vic. You can’t tell me that you are not going to ride your hot as hell husband into the bed sometime in those three days,” Vic tries not to blush at the idea of doing just that. 

“He is not my type but even I can’t deny that he is hot,” Andy agrees with Maya.

“Can we please stop talking about Luke?” Vic begs them.

“Why? Are you getting all hot and bothered thinking about the Chief bending you over and taking you over and over,” Maya starts moaning and grunting and Vic wants to slap her.

“I think I liked it better when you weren’t in favor of our relationship,” she pouts and Maya laughs at her. “And by the way, you are a pervert.”

“Damn right I am and I’m proud of it,” Maya beams at her, making Andy chuckle.

Vic groans and looks at the clock again and there is still fifteen more minutes left.

“But seriously Vic, how are things going between you and Ripley?” Andy asks her curiously and that’s a first. Andy has been the least interested in her relationship with Luke out of the team, so it was weird for her to ask this question.

“Things are good. Nothing to complain about,” Vic replies quickly. “I guess I just hate that we are both working so much lately and I rarely ever see him,” she would have never admitted that fact to Travis but Andy and Maya think they are really married, so it’s no big deal to confess such a thing.

“Is that all we are getting?” Maya butts in.

“What else do you want to hear? It’s a marriage like any other,” Vic lies. “We hang out and talk, cook meals together and go to bed at night.”

“That sounds kinda boring,” Maya states with a shrug while Andy nods in agreement. “What about the hot, explosive sex?” She wants to know.

“No, it’s not. It’s actually really nice and not everything is about sex,” especially when you are not having any, Vic thinks.

“Okay, okay. I will drop the subject if you answer one question?” Maya proposes and Vic nods reluctantly, knowing that she will regret it. “Just tell me what sex with him is like? I’m just curious because he seems so stiff, no pun intended, at work and I wanna know if he is a freak in the sack,” she smirks.

“You know you are gross,” Vic tells her and Maya shrugs. “I won’t give you details but I will say that he is the best I’ve ever had.” Vic can’t even say that it’s a lie because from what she remembered he really was the best she’s ever had. “Are you happy now?” the blonde beams at her.

Vic glances at the clock once more, which is showing 12pm and Vic is grateful that the shift from hell is finally over. She gets up, grabs her bag and walks downstairs with Andy and Maya hot on her heels.

“Have fun with your hubby,” Maya teases as Vic flips her off and leaves. As she exits the firehouse she sees Luke leaning against her car. He had promised to pick her up since he didn’t want her driving after a double shift and he had kept his promise which makes her smiles. He smiles back but it doesn’t reach his eyes and she can tell that something is wrong. She hands him her keys, they get into the car and put their seat belts on. She looks at him as he puts the car into gear and drives off.

“Not that I’m trying to tell you how to do your job but you should really get rid of double shifts. I feel like I’m going to sleep forever,” she jokes but he stays silent.

“Luke? Are you okay?” He huffs. “What was that? Did something happen? Talk to me, Luke,” he is obviously upset about something but remains silent, so Vic decides not to push especially since he is driving and she doesn’t want them to end up in a ditch somewhere. 

They finally arrive at home and Vic turns towards him as he parks the car. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“When were you planning on telling me?” he finally speaks.

Vic looks at him confused. “Tell you what?” She has no idea what he is talking about.

“That you are pregnant,” he spits out and that is the last thing she expects.

“What the hell? Why would you think I’m pregnant?” She asks flabbergasted.

“I found a positive pregnancy test in your trash.”

* * *

  _Lucas is at home, cleaning the house and doing his laundry. He decides to do something nice for Vic, while she is doing a double shift, so he goes into her room and grabs her dirty laundry and her trash. He puts the laundry in the washing machine and is about to throw away the trash when something catches his eye and he feels his entire world crumbling._

_There is a positive pregnancy test in Vic’s trash and it feels like the wind being knocked out of his lungs. Not only was she sleeping with someone else but she was also pregnant. He feels dizzy and needs to sit down as he just stares at the test. He tells himself that he is mostly upset about what this will do to his reputation, how people will think him a fool for “falling in love” with a younger woman who cheats on him a couple of weeks into their marriage because the truth hurts too much. Thinking of her with another guy hurts too much. Thinking of her pregnant with another man’s baby hurts even more._

_He thinks back at how poorly she has felt the entire week - she had told him it was because of something she ate and he feels like an idiot for not realizing that it was something else. He just sits there and cries until he realizes what time it is. He leaves the house and walks towards the station. He had promised to pick her up and he is a man of his word even though his heart is broken._

* * *

 “Wait, you went through my trash? What happened to me having my own space? That is a total invasion of my privacy,” she yells.

“Is that really what you are concerned about right now?” he asks frustrated as she crosses her arms over her chest. “I didn’t go through your trash, okay? I was cleaning up and wanted to throw out the trash and grabbed yours from the bathroom and the test was just there,” he explains and it doesn’t make it any better. “Who is the father? Because if it was mine from our night in Vegas you would have known sooner.” he wants to know and Vic feels her heart breaking.

“Wow, so obviously I must be sleeping around and not only am I sleeping around but I’m also stupid enough to get myself pregnant. Is that what you think of me?” She sobs and takes a deep breath. “This marriage may be fake but I still wouldn’t just sleep around,” a single tear rolls down her cheek and she curses it because she really doesn’t want to cry in front of him. “Thanks for believing the worst of me.” she opens the door and gets out of her car, then stops and turns towards him. “Don’t bother talking to me ever again,” she slams the door shut before marching towards the house and letting herself in. 

She kicks off her shoes, takes off her jacket as she lets the tears fall freely and just cries and cries. She hears the car start again and then drive off and it makes her heart hurt but at the same time she is relieved that he is giving her space and time. She doesn’t need him in the house right now. She doesn’t understand how he could think so lowly of her? She thought that they were at least friends and he didn’t even give her the benefit of the doubt. 

She climbs the stairs up to her room, slams the door shut and just falls onto her bed sobbing until she is all out of tears and falls asleep.

Lucas drives around in her car for a while before stopping in front of his best friends house. He knocks and Claire opens up, looking flushed. 

“You look worse than I feel,” she teases as she lets him in. “Robert is not here. I sent him and the little one to the store. Mama & baby are craving ice cream,” she beams as Lucas puts two and two together.

“You’re pregnant, too?” He blurts out carelessly as they walk into the living room and sit down.

“Who else is pregnant?” She wonders.

“Vic,” he reveals and watches Claire’s forehead furrow.

“What? Are you sure?”

“I found a positive pregnancy test in her trash,” he starts explaining before Claire cuts him off.

“Okay, first, why were you going through her trash?” She lectures him. “And secondly, that was my test,” she confesses, shocking Lucas.

“What?” 

* * *

  _Claire is shopping for some new curtains and sheets at the mall when she spots Vic with a tall, young, dark-haired man with lots of freckles. She can’t help her curiosity and calls out for Vic._

_“Claire!” she hugs her and smiles. “How are you?”_

_“Fine though I’m feeling a little under the weather, to be honest,” she admits._

_“Must be something going around because Vic hasn’t been feeling great either,” the guy says and smiles. “And since my best friend is rude and doesn’t introduce me herself, I’m Travis,” he extends his hand for Claire to shake._

_“I’m Claire. It’s nice to meet the infamous Travis. I’ve heard many things about you,” Claire laughs._

_“If you heard them from Vic then it’s all a lie,” he jokes and Claire likes him right away._

_“How about we go for a coffee and some cake? I know a great place and I’m craving cake.”_

_“That sounds perfect,” Travis agrees as he hooks his arm with hers._

_“Did I just lose my best friend?” Vic asks as both laugh._

_They find a table at the little bakery Claire loves so much. She orders a latte with a slice of red velvet cake and a slice of chocolate cheesecake. When Travis and Vic look at her with raised eyebrows, she tells them that she just really needs the sugar. They both order a cappuccino and a slice of apple pie cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter cheesecake which they switch halfway through. Claire finds their friendship adorable._

_“I have to use the restroom. I’ll be right back,” Claire tells them as she gets up and suddenly feels dizzy and falls back down onto the chair._

_“Are you okay?” Vic asks concerned._

_“Yeah, I’m just a bit dizzy.”_

_“Here drink some water,” Travis hands her the glass while Vic checks her pulse._

_“I’m okay, Vic. I promise,” she assures her._

_“If I didn’t know any better I would say you’re pregnant with all the cravings and dizziness and feeling poorly,” Vic jokes and Claire’s eyes go wide. “Oh my God, are you?”_

_“I don’t -- I can’t.... I mean, I don’t think so?”_

_“Let us pay and get a test,” Travis suggests and Claire just nods as he pays for everything and they walk to the next pharmacy to grab a pregnancy test._

_“Can we go to your place? It’s much closer than mine and I’m kinda impatient,” Vic laughs and nods._

_“Do you mind if I tag along? I know we just met but I really wanna see how this goes,” Travis gives his best puppy dog eyes and Claire can’t resist him. She is convinced that they will get along perfectly._

_They drive to Vic’s house and Claire takes the test but when the alarm chimes, she can’t look and has Vic look at it instead._

_“What does it say?” Claire asks, preparing herself for disappointment._

_“Congrats, mama. You have a bun in the oven,” Vic jokes as she shows her the positive test while smiling from ear to ear before pulling her into a hug. Travis joins in a moment later and Claire is unbelievable happy, can’t wait to tell Robert who was going to freak out. He had always hoped for a little girl that looked just like her._

* * *

 Claire recounts the events from that day.

“Why didn’t she tell me that it’s not hers?” Lucas wonders.

“Would you have listened?” She counters in an accusing tone and he deserves that.

“Probably not. I asked her who the father is,” he admits and Claire glares at him before inhaling sharply.

“So, you basically accused her of sleeping around,” she states and the disappointment he sees in her eyes is crushing him.

“I’m an idiot, I know. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“I can tell you what you were thinking. You were jealous,” she says matter of factly.

“That’s ridiculous. I’m not jealous,” he shakes his head. “I was just concerned about what that would look like to other people,” he lies. 

“Of course! That makes sense, too,” Claire replies sarcastically. 

Lucas sighs. “It doesn’t matter why, okay!? I hate that I hurt her and I need to make it up to her.”

“Damn right you do, just not today,” he nods because she is right. “Maybe you should stay here tonight,” she suggests.

“I think that might be a good idea. She needs time to cool off. She told me to never speak to her again.”

“Yeah! You really effed up,” she nods.

“What if she really never speaks to me again?” He asked concerned.  
  
“That won’t happen,” Claire assures him.

“You don’t know that,” he replies.

“You hurt her and you will need to make it up to her but she will eventually forgive you. You mean a great deal to her,” she tells him and Lucas doesn’t believe that.

“I highly doubt that.”

“Do you think she would have been this hurt if someone she didn’t give a shit about would have said that to her? The only reason people get upset is because they care and she cares about you and you hurt her.”  

“I didn’t mean to hurt her. God, I hope she can forgive me for this,” his puts his head in his hands and sighs. A moment later, he can feel Claire’s hand on his shoulder, soothing him.

“You really care about her,” she states and Lucas looks up at her.

“Of course I care about her. She is my friend. She is doing all this to help me and I made her feel like shit,” he blames himself as she wraps her arm around his shoulder and hugs him. “Thank you, Claire. For listening and for being there for me. You could have thrown me out for what I did.”

“I could have but I know what’s in your heart and also that’s what family is for,” she smiles at him as the front door opens and his best friend and godson walk in.

“Uncle Lucas!” Bobby Jr. exclaims excitedly when he sees him. He runs towards him for a hug. “Did you bring Vic?” His eyes sparkle as he looks around the room and Lucas chuckles.

“Not tonight, kiddo. She’s at home resting,” the little guy sighs disappointingly. “But I heard some exciting news,” he smiles at his godson trying to distract him from the fact that Vic is not there.

“Yes, I’m gonna have a little sister,” he exclaims with such joy on his face.

“A little sister? Is that so? What if it’s a little brother?” He asks.

“Nope, I want a little sister,” he announces and Claire laughs at her son and shakes her head.

“He is convinced that it’s a girl,” she shrugs.

“Is everything okay, Luke? What are you doing here?” His best friend wonders as he hands his wife the ice cream and a spoon who grabs it like her life depended on it.

“I just needed some advice but that’s not important now,” he smiles and pulls his best friend in a hug. “Congrats, Sully! I’m so happy for you,” he pulls away and looks at Claire who is happily munching on her dessert. “Both of you. I know how much you wanted this.”

“Will you be the godfather again?” Sully asks and Lucas smiles warmly at him.

“I’d be honored to,” he tells them with tears in his eyes. He loved Bobby Jr. like he was his own and would do anything for the little boy and he will love his little sister or brother just as much.

“You want a beer?” Sully asks and he nods when his phone chimes. He is surprised to see Vic’s number. Her message says: _911! Come home!_ Lucas’ heart drops.

“Sorry, rain check. I gotta go home,” he announces but Claire stops him.

“Didn’t I tell you to give her some time?” Claire reminds him.

“She just sent me a 911. I have to go,” he replies before running out of the house, jumping into the car and racing back home. His heart is pounding and he is worried that something bad has happened.

Vic wakes up from her sleep when she hears the doorbell ring and wonders who it could be. Did Luke forget his keys? How long has she been sleeping? She slowly gets up as the doorbell rings again whoever it is, is getting impatient.

She finally reaches the door and pulls it open to find the female version of Luke standing in front of her.

“Jennifer?” She asks surprised as the other woman beams at her and pulls her into a hug.

“I finally get to meet you,“ she tells her happily before pulling away. “I gotta say you are even more gorgeous than my brother told me.” Vic can’t believe that Luke told his sister that.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Come on in,” she steps aside to let her sister-in-law in and notices the lack of luggage. “Um, where are your suitcases? Don’t tell me the airport lost them?”

“Oh no, they are in the car. I was going to let Luke handle it,” she laughs and Vic thinks that she will get along just fine with her. “So, what is it like being fake married to my brother?” 

* * *

  _“So, what did your sister say?” Vic asks curiously as Luke walks back into the kitchen after his conversation with Jennifer._

_“She was disappointed,” Vic takes offense in his answer and is about to say something but he beats her to it. “Oh my god, not about you. She was disappointed with me, about me putting you in this situation. She called you a saint for putting up with me for the next year,” Luke explains._

_“Wait, you told her the truth?”_

_“Yeah, I hate lying to my sister and it makes things easier should she visit,” Vic nods. He had a point there. It would be hard to explain Vic sleeping in the guest room when they were supposed to be happily married._

* * *

 “Usually it’s good,” Vic answers carelessly as they walk into the living room.

“Usually? What did my brother do? Do I need to slap him for it?” _Yeah, Vic is definitely going to get along with Jennifer._

“We got into a fight. He said some things I wish he hadn’t,” Vic tells her with sadness in her voice as Jennifer hugs her again.

“I’m sorry, Vic. My brother can be an idiot but I know that he is probably beating himself up over it. You are very important to him.”

“I doubt that with what he said,” she sighs.

Jennifer rubs Vic’s back. “I’m sure he will make it up to you. You know you are a saint for doing this,” she tells her and Vic laughs.

“Not sure about that but thanks for saying it,” she smiles as the front door opens.

“Vic, where are you? Is everything okay” he yells before he walks into the room and spots them sitting there.

“Jennifer?” He asks surprised as he pulls his sister into a hug and Vic can’t help but smile at them because she knows how much she means to him. “What are you doing here?”

“My birthday is next week. We always spend my birthday together,” she reminds him.

“I’m so sorry. Work has been hectic lately. It totally slipped my mind,” he hugs her again before letting go of her. “I’m so happy you are here. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, big brother,” she replies as she sits back down next to Vic and hands him her car keys. ”My luggage is in the car,” she simply says as Vic chuckles.

“Sure, I’ll get right to it,” he smiles before looking at Vic. “Can I talk to you for a moment, please?” He pleads. Vic sighs, doesn’t really want to talk to him but nods and walks into the kitchen with him following her. She puts some distance between them and waits for him to start talking. 

“Vic, I’m so sorry for what I said. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I’m an idiot,” she stares at him with a blank expression. “Why didn’t you tell me that it wasn’t your test?” Her eyebrows furrow. “Claire told me.”

“I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t my secret to tell and because you wouldn’t have believed me anyway,” he hangs his head in shame. “You know I would have talked to you first if I had wanted to sleep with someone because you know we are friends but I guess I was wrong about that.”

“We are friends. I was just...”

“You were just worried about what this could do to your reputation, your wife pregnant by some other guy. I get it,” he opens his mouth to protest but she doesn’t let him. “You know I realized something after you drove off. Officially on paper, you may be my husband but in reality you are nothing to me. So, I really shouldn’t be upset about what you think of me,” she lashes out and she can tell by the look on his face that her words hurt him and part of her feels bad about it but another thinks that he deserves it.

“Okay, I deserve that,” he agrees.

“Yeah you do,” she replies. “Look, I’m too tired to have this conversation right now. I really need some sleep. You go get your sisters stuff and enjoy your evening with her. I will be in my room for the rest of the day and night,” she says as she turns on her heels.

“Vic?” She stops but doesn’t turn around. “Are we going to be okay?” He asks and Vic can hear the remorse in his voice. She knows that he is sorry for what he said and she doesn’t want to fight with him but he still hurt her. She exhales sharply. “Give me some time,” is all she says before walking out of the kitchen and back into the living room.

“Jennifer, it was really nice to meet you but I need some rest. I had a double shift and I’m exhausted. I can’t wait to hang out with you and celebrate your birthday next week,” she pulls her into a hug and smiles before going back upstairs. She enters her room, quickly changes into something more comfortable and falls into bed and just sleeps

Jennifer pulls away from the hug and can tell that Vic is tired and sad. Whatever her brother did must have really hurt her.

“Good night, Vic,” she calls after her but she doesn’t seem to hear her.

She walks through the door into the kitchen and finds Lucas leaning against the kitchen counter looking just as sad as Vic.

“What did you do?” She wonders.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” he responds dismissively. 

“Come on, Lucas. It’s me. You always tell me everything.”

“I told you that I don’t wanna talk about it, Jen,” he replies defensively, making Jennifer sigh. “I’ll go grab your suitcases and then we can order some pizza. I’m not in the mood to cook today,” he gives her a tight smile before leaving. 

Jennifer stares after him and she hates seeing him like this. She knows that her brother has feelings for his “fake” wife, knew it from the very moment he mentioned her. She could hear the happiness in his voice every time he talked about her and he talked about her a lot. He probably didn’t even notice it himself.

Jennifer grabs her phone and quickly texts Claire, letting her know that she is in Seattle and that she wants to meet up. She needed her input in this situation with Lucas and Vic. She wanted her brother happy and thought that Vic was just the right person for it and judging by how hurt Vic was, she is sure that Vic also had feelings for her brother because you didn’t get this upset with someone if you didn’t feel something. 

A moment later her phone chimes and Jennifer laughs at Claire’s reply, asking her if she was in on "Operation Spicy and Stubborn". She texts her back right away, letting her know that she is so in.


	12. Sorry seems to be the hardest word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas thinks of the perfect way to apologize to Vic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for all the support for this story. I'm having so much fun writing it and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Lucas is lying in bed and thinking about Vic’s sad face and the pain in her eyes and he hates himself for hurting her. He needs to come up with something to make it up to her and thinks of all their conversations and what Vic likes when suddenly it hits him. He gets up and looks at the clock which says 2am. He knows It’s too late to wake his sister, so he has to wait until the morning but instead he starts planning every detail of his apology. He is so excited and if that doesn’t make her forgive him, he doesn’t know what will.

Four hours later, he is finally done and goes back to sleep or tries to when suddenly he hears loud coughing and sneezing. He realizes that it’s coming from Vic’s room. Her body must have finally succumbed to her feeling poorly. He wants nothing more than to go into her room to take care of her but he can’t. The coughing stops and he attempts to sleep yet again but then she starts up again and Lucas sighs and gets out of bed. 

There is no way he can sleep, so he may as well do something useful. He goes downstairs into the kitchen and starts preparing the soup his mother used to make for him and Jennifer when they were sick. Vic may be mad at him but she won’t turn down good food.

And that’s how his sister finds him - in the middle of chopping vegetables.

“Hey, sis,” he greets her. “Did you sleep well?” She just nods. 

“What are you making?” She wonders.

“Mom’s miracle veggie soup.”

“You mean the one she used to make for us when we were sick?” Lucas nods. “Are you getting sick?” she asks confused.

“No, it’s for Vic. Didn’t you hear her cough and sneeze?”

“Did you forget that I’m a heavy sleeper? You could drop a bomb next to me and I still wouldn’t wake up,” she shrugs as she starts the coffeemaker.

“Oh, sorry. I totally forgot to make some,” he apologizes and his sister smiles at him knowingly. “What’s that look for?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just that you forgot to press a little button to make coffee but here you are chopping endless amounts of veggies to make soup because your fake wife is sick,” she shrugs.

“You are almost as bad as Claire,” he says.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Claire is a very smart woman,” she says proudly.

“Okay, can we change the subject?” He asks as he puts the chopped vegetables into the slow cooker, adds spices and chicken broth, then puts the lid on and turn it on low. 

He grabs a mug and pours himself some coffee before joining his sister at the table.

“So, I was wondering if you could help me out with something to apologize to Vic?” Jennifer looks at him curiously. “I never thought your job would come in handy but I need your skills as a photographer,” he can tell that he peaked her interest.

“Go on. I’m listening,” she smiles at him.

“Did you bring your camera?” He wonders and she laughs.

“I’m a professional photographer, Lucas. I never go anywhere without my camera and you know that,” she rolls her eyes at him.

Lucas starts telling his sister his plan, shows her the concept he worked out. When she wonders why he thinks she will like this particular apology, he explains it to her recalling two incidents and Jennifer understands and agrees immediately.

She makes a few phone calls to some friends and former colleagues who can help out while Lucas cooks them breakfast and composes a note for Vic. He knows he doesn’t have to but he feels like it.

Jen tells him that everything will be ready for them in a couple of hours and they eat quickly before leaving the house to work on Vic’s apology.  
  


* * *

  
Vic wakes up the next day feeling like death warmed over and all she wants to do is stay in bed. She had been coughing up a lung in the morning, sneezing all over the place, her throat is sore as are her muscles and she wishes she had been wrong about getting sick.

She gets out of bed and walks into the bathroom, takes a look in the mirror and the sight almost scares her. There are dark circles underneath her eyes, her tongue is blotchy, her skin is pale and she is slightly warm. She sighs as she thinks of a nice warm bath but her bathroom doesn’t have a tub, so no baths for her.

She descends the stairs, walks through an empty living room and into the kitchen to find no one there either but something smells really delicious. She takes a look around and realizes that it’s coming from the slow cooker. She opens the lid and finds what appears to be veggie soup in it and her mouth waters. She grabs a bowl and fills it with the warm liquid before practically inhaling it and it does her sore throat so good. 

She can’t help but wonder where Luke and Jennifer are. She takes a look around for a note and finds one on the pinboard. She gets up and grabs it before sitting back down and eating her soup while reading the note.

   
_Dear Vic,_

_Jen and I will be gone all day long. I figured you_

_wanted some peace and quiet._

_I made you some soup since I heard you coughing_

_and sneezing last night and remembered you feeling_

_poorly all week. I hope you like it. There are various_

_teas on the counter and some Advil and Tylenol._

_Make sure to drink lots of fluids today._

_If you feel like taking a nice hot bath you can use my_

_bathtub of course. I recommend taking a ginger bath._

_It will help you sweat the toxins out of your body._

_Feel better soon and sorry again._

_Love,_

_Lucas_

   
Vic smiles involuntarily at the note being signed with the word love but tries not to make a big deal out of it. She is still mad at him but making soup for her and offering his bathtub, which she laughs about because it’s like he read her mind before she was even awake. 

She helps herself to a second serving because the soup is just so good, takes an Advil and makes herself some tea before grabbing a ginger root, peeling and grating it for her bath.

She goes back upstairs into her room to grab her bathrobe and phone and then walks into Luke’s room. She notices that it’s messier than usual - not that she has spent much time in his room. She has been in there maybe twice since she moved in but it looks somewhat messy like he was looking for something. She shrugs and walks into his bathroom, starts filling the tub with hot water and adds the ginger. She grabs her phone and puts on some music until the tub is full and then sinks into the hot water and sighs at how good it feels against her sore, aching muscles. She soaks in the water until her fingers are all pruny and the water is almost cold but she feels refreshed and so much better already.

She puts her bathrobe back on, cleans the tub and goes back to her room. She knows that the ginger bath will make her sweat a lot so she drinks a couple of glasses of water before lying back down in her bed to sleep.  
  


* * *

  
Jennifer knocks softly on Vic’s door and hears her mumble, “come in”. When she enters she finds her in bed, sweating like crazy.

“Are you okay?” She asks and Vic nods.

“I took a ginger bath earlier, so I have been sweating a lot. I must look really gross,” she jokes.

“I think you look beautiful as always,” Jennifer tells her. “If Lucas could hear me he would think I’m hitting on you,” she jokes, making Vic laugh.

“Well, it’s not like we are really married, so,” Vic shrugs and it’s Jennifer’s turn to laugh.

“As gorgeous as you are, you are not my type,” Vic pouts. “I have a thing for Asian women,” she admits.

“Oh, you are actually into women?” Vic asks surprised.

“I’m bi,” she confesses and it’s weird that she feels so comfortable with Vic, who she just met last night, to tell her something so personal. “I knew early on when I was only fifteen that I liked both boys and girls and Lucas was so understanding and supportive. He is a wonderful big brother,” she beams while Vic smiles.

“What time is it?” she asks groggily.

“It’s almost 8pm.”

“Wow, I slept all day. Where were you two?” she wonders.  
  
“Oh, I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise,” Jennifer smirks.

“A surprise for me?” She nods. “But it’s your birthday next week. Not mine.”

“Let’s just say it’s also a present for me. You will understand once you see it.”

“I’m not very patient,” she admits.

“Trust me! This one will be worth the wait,” Jen promises as Vic’s stomach growls, making them both chuckle. “That’s actually the reason I came up. Lucas wanted me to check on you and ask if you want burritos,” Vic eyes go wide at the mention, making Jen laugh.

“I love burritos. They are my favorite food,” her eyes sparkle.

“Yeah, that’s what Lucas said, too. He seems to know you quite well,” Jennifer notes.

“Well, when you live together you pick up a few things,” Vic explains and Jen gives her a knowing smile. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know exactly like what. I get that look from Claire and Travis all the time,” she complains.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” she laughs as Vic mouths “yeah right”. “Who’s Travis?” Jen asks.

“Oh, he is my best friend. We work together,” she grabs her phone and shows her a picture of the two of them.

“Oh, he is really handsome. Is he single?” Jen wonders.

“He is gay,” Vic chuckles as she puts the phone away.

“Damn, all the good ones are either gay or related,” she jokes. “So, you want me to bring the food up to your room or are you coming downstairs?”

“I’ll be right down. Let me just shower real quick because no matter what you say, I feel gross, and I need to put on some clothes,” Jennifer nods and leaves the room.

When she walks into the kitchen without Vic, her brothers face falls and he can’t hide the disappointment.

“Relax, Romeo. She is taking a shower and will be downstairs in a bit,” she teases but he doesn’t react as he usually would and just nods while preparing the food.

“Is she okay?” He asks.

“I think so,” she answers as she sets the table.

Fifteen minutes later, Vic walks in, freshly showered wearing sweats and a top, smiling at her. 

“It’s nice to feel human again,” she says as she walks over to where Lucas is standing. “Thank you for the soup. It was really good and thanks for letting me use your tub,” she smiles at him as he lifts his hand to hold it against her forehead.

Jennifer watches them and she is pretty sure that they have forgotten that she is in the room with them. The way he carefully checks her temperature and then moves his hand from her forehead to her cheek, cupping it lightly while Vic leans into it. They stay like that for a few seconds before they both realize that Jennifer is there with them and he drops his hand and they move out of each others personal space. 

They eat in silence when Vic suddenly blurts out. “Are you wearing makeup?” She looks at Lucas and he chuckles and shakes his head. “Is this part of the surprise?” Vic asks.

“Dammit, Jen,” he cries out. “You weren’t supposed to say anything.”

“I didn’t. I just said that you have a surprise for her,” she defends herself and he sighs.

“When am I getting my surprise?” Vic asks, looking like a little kid before Christmas and Jennifer can’t help but laugh.

“In a couple of days,” he replies and she nods before taking another bite from her burrito. 

“It better be good,” she mumbles with her mouth full.

“Oh, it is,” Jennifer assures her.  
  


* * *

  
Vic spends most of her weekend in her bed and on the couch with the Ripley’s taking care of her. She has forgiven Luke for the most part but she doesn’t mind him groveling just a little bit longer. 

She also bonds with her “sister-in-law”, finds out more about Jennifer’s work as a professional photographer and is amazed with her photographs when they go through her portfolio. She tells Vic that once she is feeling better she definitely wants to take some photos of her because her face was made for the camera. Vic blushes but agrees to pose for her since she has never done a professional shoot before. She asks her if her friends, who are also firefighters, Andy and Maya can tag along and Jen is more than happy to have them on board as well.

By the time her weekend is over and it’s time to go back to work, Vic feels perfectly healthy and recharged. When she gets into work, she feels the stares from her colleagues and wonders why. She asks them about it but nobody wants to answer, so she tries to ignore them and their stares. 

She walks up the stairs and opens her locker and something catches her eyes that wasn’t there before. It’s a little package and it clicks as she realizes that this must be Luke’s surprise for her. She wonders how he managed to unlock her locker but realizes that Travis has a spare key. _That traitor!_ She takes the package out and looks at it. It’s flat and lightweight and she can’t wait to see what it is.

“Open it already,” she hears an impatient Travis who is standing behind her with the rest of the team. They all look at the package curiously.

“Will you stop rushing me,” Vic complains but she is curious herself so she rips the paper and finds what looks like a calendar inside. She is not sure what to think of it.

She finds a note and reads it.  
  


_Dear Vic,_

_You mean a great deal to me._

_I hate that I hurt you and I’m sorry for it._

_Please accept my apology in the form of_

_this calendar._

_Love,_

_Lucas_  
  


She stares at the note and at the calendar and groans. What kinda apology is that?, she wonders as she glances at the note again to see if there is more but there is nothing else.

She feels like tossing the calendar aside but can’t help her curiosity and opens it. Her jaw drops at the sight of January.

She finds Fire Chief Lucas Ripley dressed in only snowman boxer shorts with a scarf around his neck, on ice skates. He is surrounded by a winter wonderland and it looks like it’s snowing while he is “freezing” and Vic can’t help the laugh that escapes her mouth.

She continues and checks February to find him dressed as Cupid with little wings, white boxer shorts with red hearts on them, a little bow and arrow in hand surrounded by heart shaped balloons. Vic feels her heart skip a beat. She can’t believe he did that for her. She can feel her colleagues eyes on her but doesn’t really care as she checks for the next month.

March is St. Partrick’s Day themed and Vic has to admit leprechauns have never looked hotter. He is wearing shamrock boxer shorts, a green hat while holding a green beer and there are shamrocks falling all around him. Vic realizes that the color green really looks great on her fake husband.

She melts away at the sight of her birthday month April. He is surrounded by colorful Easter eggs and hopping bunnies while holding one himself. He is wearing furry shorts and has bunny ears on his head. He looks so adorable.

She is confused at the theme for May but he still looks really hot, doing pushups, wearing only his turnout bottoms. Vic finds the suspenders sexy as hell and his “soot” covered, sweaty upper body gives the photo a realistic feel.

She laughs at month June. It’s Pride month and Luke is dressed in rainbow shorts holding up the Pride flag and he looks so proud. Vic knows this will make Travis really happy once she shows him and it must mean a lot to Jennifer.

July is all about Independence Day. Luke has the American flag wrapped around his hips and there are fireworks in the background as he salutes.

August has him sitting in the sand in beach shorts, chest glistening in the sun, sunglasses on top of his head and he looks so relaxed. Vic feels like she wants to go on vacation with him. Just the two of them, her in a bikini, their feet in the sand, him rubbing sunscreen all over her body. She shivers at the thought of him touching her. She really shouldn’t be thinking this. 

September is fall themed with leaves falling, with a fall backdrop and Luke in autumn themed boxer shorts.

October makes Vic laugh because he is not wearing any underwear but instead he is holding a large pumpkin in front of his crotch, he looks “scared” as someone dressed as death is standing next to him. Unlike the other photos that are bright and colorful this one looks dark and moody capturing the Halloween theme perfectly.

November has Vic’s ovaries combusting. Luke is wearing a turkey apron that says “Thankful for you” and he is holding a baby that looks like it could be theirs in his arms. The little girl is dressed in a turkey costume with her curls spilling out and it’s the most adorable thing she has ever seen in her life. She needs a moment before turning the page to check for the last month.

December has him dressed as a sexy Santa, in front of a chimney with an arrow pointing at it saying “Vic’s room”. In his hands he has a big red sack filled with gifts with a Christmas night backdrop.

On the backside of the calendar it says “Turnabout is fair play” and Vic laughs.

“So, am I forgiven?” She hears his voice behind her and turns around to find him standing there and he doesn’t look smug or anything. He looks somewhat scared but also hopeful and she can’t be mad at him any longer. She just throws her arms around him and hugs him as he wraps his arms around her waist and holds her close to him. “I’m really sorry,” he whispers against her ear before tightening his embrace. They stay like that for what feels like forever but it’s really only a few seconds before both realize where they are and let go of each other but his hand remains on the small of her back as she looks up at him.

“You do realize that I will share this with my team,” she smirks as she hands the calendar to Travis.

“Oh, I expected that. They are all getting their own copy...” everyone smiles excitedly as they start flipping through it, “...for which they will have to pay.” They all grown. “Hey, it’s for charity,” Lucas explains. “Actually a limited amount of those calendars will go on sale in a few days and all the proceeds will go to charity,” he announces proudly. 

“If this is what we get when you two get into a fight, I say you two should fight more often,” Travis happily says while Vic laughs.

“Can you explain May to me?” Travis asks as he holds up the page and Vic nods.

“Apparently, May is the health and fitness month hence the pushups and May 4th is International Firefighter Day,” he explains and they all nod in understanding.

“How did you manage to get that done so quickly?” She wonders and he smirks.

“Jennifer helped me and she knows people that know people and I also know a few people, so,” he explains.

“I can’t believe you did that,” she smiles at him. “For me.”

“Your friendship is important to me,” he whispers and Vic sighs internally. Of course she is just his friend. “I don’t want to ever do anything to ruin it.”

“Your friendship is important to me too. Thank you,” she hugs him again and kisses him on the cheek before turning back to her team who is still looking at the calendar.

She grabs it from Travis who starts pouting like any normal adult man would who is gawking at his almost naked boss right in front of said boss. “Okay. Enough gawking at my husband and more working,” she says as she puts her gift away and closes her locker.

“You really enjoy being the First Lady of the Fire Department, don’t you?” Maya teases and Luke laughs.

“Always so bossy. Just like at home,” Lucas replies carelessly, making everyone stop what they are doing and look at him as he realizes what his comment implied. His face turns bright red as Vic laughs and slaps him on the ass. 

“Just like you like it, hubby,” she teases but before he can reply his phone chimes. “Saved by the bell,” she says as he shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

“One moment,” he puts the phone aside. “I’ll see you tomorrow at home,” he kisses her cheek and then he is out the door.

Vic stares after him until he is out of sight and she spies Jennifer.

“Jennifer!” she hugs her. “You were right. This was totally worth the wait,” she beams at her. “I can’t believe you pulled this off. It was amazing. You are really talented,” Vic compliments her and she blushes.

“Thank you, Vic. It was all Lucas, really. I just helped but it was all his idea. I just made a few calls. He had everything worked out already. My brother can do amazing things when he sets his mind to it,” Vic nods. 

“Don’t sell yourself short. You have an amazing eye. Those photos were phenomenal. I can’t wait to pose for you,” she tells her.

“I can’t wait either. I also met Andy and Maya. They seem really nice,” Vic nods. 

“Yeah, they are,” she agrees.

“You know I don’t think Lucas ever put this much effort into his marriages with Celeste and Eva,” Jennifer goes back to talking about her brother and Vic lets her words sink in for a moment.

“Well, he seems to care about our _friendship_ more than his first two marriages,” she whispers and Jen shakes her head but doesn’t say anything.

She looks at her watch. “I’m sorry, Vic, but I gotta go. I’m having lunch with Claire. I don’t wanna be late.” 

Those words make Vic uneasy because she knows what Claire wants and she knows what Jennifer wants but it’s not the same as what Luke wants. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jen hugs her before disappearing like her brother and Vic is left alone to her thoughts.

“You have him wrapped around your little finger,” she hears Travis as he comes up behind her.

“What are you talking about?” she plays dumb.

“Oh please, Vic. He is totally head over heels in love with you. I mean that calendar is the best apology ever and he is making it public for everyone to see. I mean even someone as blind as you must see what that means.”

“Yeah, it means that he wanted his friend, the person that could still ruin his life and career to no longer be mad at him,” Travis sighs.

“I give up with you two. You are so frustrating,” he groans as he throws his hands in the air dramatically.

“Good,” she simply replies and walks away from him. She wishes people would just let it go and leave them be. Luke and her are friends and a friendship with him would have to suffice even though she wishes for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish I could give you a visual of the calendar. In my mind it's so hot.


	13. It's my party and I meddle if I want to

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas, Vic and Jennifer go camping for her birthday and get a little surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty long and it wasn't easy to write. I had certain images in my head but had trouble writing them. I hope you guys still can see what I saw while writing this chapter.

Jennifer and Claire are sitting in a nice Italian restaurant having lunch and catching up. They haven’t seen each other in seven months and a lot has happened in that time.

They order some pasta - Claire gets the classic bolognese while Jennifer goes for arrabiata. 

“So, what’s new with you?” Jennifer asks noticing the glow on Claire’s face.

“I know it’s too soon to tell people but it’s okay to tell family and you are part of my family, so I may as well tell you that Robert and I are having another baby,” she announces happily, trying not to squeal but failing miserably.

“Oh my God, Claire,” Jennifer grabs her hand, squeezing it. “Congratulations! This is amazing. That kid hit the jackpot with you as a mother.” 

The tears started to well up in her eyes. “Oh, Jen, don’t make me cry because with my hormones that can easily happen,” she chuckles.

“It’s the truth. You were there for me after my parents died. You and Robert raised me with Lucas. Don’t get me wrong my brother is amazing and the way he stepped up and took care of me makes him the best big brother on the planet but there were things that I didn’t feel comfortable talking about with him as a teenage girl. I was glad that you were there for me,” she explains because she doesn’t know what she would have done without Claire. Lucas was always there for her but talking to your big brother about bras, periods and crushes was weird.

“Thank you, Jen. This means a lot to me,” Claire sniffs and wipes away some tears. The waiter brings their food and looks at her concerned. “I’m fine. Just a little emotional,” she tells him and he nods.

They eat in silence before Claire speaks again. “So, um, what’s new with you? Are you dating anyone?”

“Nothing new. I’m too busy with work to date.” she hasn’t been with anyone since she broke up with her girlfriend of two years. Kim wasn’t ready to settle down while she was more than ready to take the next step, so they broke it off but remained friends and Jennifer threw herself into her work to get over the heartbreak.

“You sound just like Luke. He kept on saying that for years until Vic came along.” Jennifer realizes that Lucas and her are a lot alike. They both tend to close themselves off when it comes to relationships. If it doesn’t work out with one they kind of distance themselves from everyone.

“Yeah but they are not really together,” she tilts her head and raises an eyebrow. “Yet,” she adds, making Claire chuckle. 

“Have you seen them together? Sometimes it feels like they forget that other people are in the room. It’s amazing to watch them but at the same time utterly frustrating because they are convinced the other one is just a friend and only in it because of their job and reputation.” Jennifer is glad that they are no longer talking about her own love life.

“Oh, I’ve seen it. The other night he was caressing her cheek, right there in front of me, and she was leaning in and I felt like an intruder,” she recounts.

“Right!? Wait, I thought that she was mad at him?”

“She was but somehow that didn’t stop her from letting him touch her like that. Sometimes it feels like they gravitate towards each other like there is this pull towards one another. I don’t think they even realize it themselves.”

“Are they still fighting? I haven’t heard from either one of them?” Claire wonders and so Jennifer tells her all about the calendar and how Vic was sick and they took care of her. “Luke really did that?” she nods. “He would have never done anything remotely like that for Celeste or Eva.”

“He wouldn’t have because they were not the one but I think Vic is but you know Lucas he will never admit to it.”

“I know and neither will she. They are both so stubborn. Kinda perfect for each other, really.”

“Yeah, they are,” Jennifer sighs. This was not going to be easy.

“I almost forgot. Your birthday is on Wednesday. What are the plans? Camping as usual?” It was tradition for the Ripleys to go camping for Jennifer’s birthday since she had always loved to be outdoors and to take pictures and so the tradition continued even after their parents died.

“Yes. I got some new camera equipment that I wanna try out and it’s supposed to be the perfect weather for camping,” Jennifer says excitedly. “Please, tell me you are coming with?” She pleads with Claire. She needs her help with Lucas and Vic. There is no way she can do this on her own.

“I would love to but every since I found out I was pregnant last week I have been spending most of my time in the bathroom throwing up. Today is a good day and I hope it stays that way,” she says. Jennifer tries not to show her disappointment but she gets it. It’s no fun going camping when you have to throw up all the time. “What about Travis?” She blurts out.

“You mean Vic’s best friend?” She nods. “What about him?”

“Well, he knows the truth and he is very determined to get these two to see how much they mean to each other. He is the perfect partner in crime and he is such a sweetheart.” Claire beams.

“Okay but how does that help?” Jennifer wonders.

“You can tell him to show up at the campsite with the rest of Vic’s team. They don’t know about the arrangement which forces Luke and Vic to share a tent otherwise her team would wonder about it,” she explains and Jennifer laughs.

“That is genius. You are so evil,” she says, which makes Claire chuckle.

“Oh, you have no idea. They need that kick in the ass. I mean other than me and Robert I have never seen two people more suited for each other.” Jennifer nods in agreement because she has never seen her brother as happy as when he talks about Vic and the way he looks at her when he thinks nobody is watching.

Claire grabs her phone to look for Travis’ number and sends it to Jennifer.

They spend the rest of the lunch talking about Robert and Bobby Jr. because Jennifer loves listening to Claire gush about her family.

She texts Travis later that day and tells him to call her when he has some free time. Thirty minutes later, her phone is ringing.

“Hello, Travis,” she greets him. “I hope you don’t mind that Claire gave me your number but she said since we have a common goal we should help each other out,” she hears Travis laugh.

“Oh yes, we do. These two idiots are killing me. How can two people be so damn blind?” It’s Jennifer’s turn to laugh. “Sorry but they frustrate me so much.”

“It’s okay. I get it. So, the reason I’m calling is that Wednesday is my birthday and Lucas and I go camping every year. I’m going to invite Vic to tag along but I need reinforcement. Claire suggested that you show up with the rest of your team so...”

“...they have to share a tent.” Travis chimes in and Jennifer knows why Claire likes him so much and she is sure she will get along with him just fine.

“Exactly. So, do you think you can make it happen?” 

“I will do my best but I’m sure the rest of the team will tag along. It’s been awhile since we all hung out outside of work and it might be good for them to see Vic and Ripley together. Some of them still feel a bit weird about their relationship and it had caused some tension occasionally. Just text me where and when and we’ll be there.”

“Perfect. Thank you, Travis.”

“No, thank you for letting me be a part of this,” she can hear how excited he is. “Wait, we need a name for this mission.”

“Oh, Claire calls it “Operation Spicy & Stubborn”,” Jennifer states and Travis laughs.

“Okay, that is perfect and so fitting,” she hears the klaxon go off. “I gotta go. Text me the details. Bye,” he says and hangs up.

Jennifer smiles because she loves it when a plan comes together.   
  


* * *

  
Vic comes home after her shift to find the main hall full of camping equipment with Lucas and Jennifer talking in the middle of it all.

“What’s going on here? Are we having a yard sale?” The siblings laugh.

“This is for my birthday tomorrow. Lucas and I always go camping. It’s a family tradition,” Jen tells her and Vic smiles sadly. She misses family traditions with her parents.

“That sounds really nice. I hope you two have fun,” she says and is about to go upstairs.

“Vic, wait! I want you to come with us.” Vic looks at her skeptically.

“Are you sure? I mean this is a Ripley thing,” Vic ignores the fact that for the time being she is one too.

“Well, you are a Ripley too and I would love for you to come with us. It can get boring with just Lucas out there,” Jen admits.

“Hey, I’m standing right here,” Luke says mock-hurt while checking the tents and sleeping bags. “We have an extra tent,” he gives her that dopey grin that she adores so much and she really wants to come with them. She hasn’t been camping in forever and she loves hanging out with the Ripley siblings. They are very entertaining.

“Sure, count me in. When are we leaving?” 

Luke checks his watch and thinks for a second. “In about three or four hours.”

Vic nods. “Perfect! That gives me enough time to bake something for your birthday.”

“Vic, there is no need for that. We can just buy cake on the way,” Jennifer protests but Vic is not having it.

“Yeah, not on my watch. I’m not gonna let you eat disgusting store-bought cake after you took such great care of me the other day when I was sick. A pie is the least I can do for you.”

“Hey, what about me? I also took care of you, too. Where is my pie?” Luke pouts which makes Vic laugh because he looks ridiculous and cute at the same time. “I also made you that calendar, so I totally deserve a pie,” he adds.

“I thought that was an apology and not a bribe for pie,” Vic counters but he still pouts. “It’s Jen’s birthday, so what kind of pie would you like?”

Vic can hear Luke mutter the word “ _ apple” _ at his sister but she shakes her head, obviously not sharing his love of apple pie. She knows how much he loves those and she likes making them for him. 

“I would love some blueberry pie,” Jen smiles and Vic nods. “There are fresh blueberries in the kitchen that I wanted to bring with us but a pie would be even better.”

“Well, then blueberry pie it is,” she looks at her “husband” who is still pouting. “Stop pouting. It’s such an unattractive look,” she lies which earns her a smirk from Jennifer while Luke glares at her, prompting her to laugh. 

She enters the kitchen, washes her hands and prepares everything. She does it from scratch as usual. It may take a little bit longer that way but she can make the crust in her sleep, so it’s really child’s play for her at this point. Luke enters the kitchen as she is about to put the pie into the oven.

“There is no chance you are making one for me as well?” Vic chuckles as she sets the timer and pours herself some coffee.

“You never give up, do you?” He shakes his head.

“You have some flour on your face,” he tells her and she wipes at her face, making him chuckle. “There is still some left,” he says as she tries to remove it again and he shakes his head and comes closer. “Here, let me,” he lifts his hand and gently wipes at her forehead and then her cheek. His hand lingers like the other day and Vic inhales sharply as she looks into his eyes. They are so blue and she feels like she wants to get lost in them.

“Thank you for my present,” they don’t break eye contact as he tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear and just smiles at her. “You know you didn’t have to go through all that trouble. I would have forgiven you eventually.”

“I know but I was a real jerk to you,” he admits. “Having those pictures out for everyone to see will teach me to never be a jerk to you ever again,” she laughs.

“Does that mean I have to give you a free pass for the next ten times you walk in on me in my underwear?” Vic jokes, making him chuckle. He wants to say something but they get interrupted.

“Lucas, I need your help,” they hear from the other room and he drops his hand from her face and puts some distance between them. Vic immediately misses the warmth of his body and his smell that makes her go crazy. How is it possible that a person can smell this good?

“I gotta go and help my sister. I’m glad you are coming with. We will have a lot of fun together,” he tells her before leaving.

Vic stares after him and shivers as she can still feel his hand against her cheek. Ever since he gave her that calendar she wasn’t able to stop thinking about his body and then she had to have a sex dream about him during the night. She wonders if going with them is actually a good idea but she already said that she would come with them, so there was no turning back. She was just glad that they didn’t have to share a tent because that would be torture.  
  


* * *

  
“Are we there yet?” Vic asks yet again as Lucas sighs. They had been on the road for less than an hour and she was getting so impatient.

“You are worse than Bobby Jr. and he is seven, so he has an excuse,” she pouts and he can’t help but laugh. He enjoys teasing her, knows he will miss it when she is gone. He knows it’s stupid to think about this when there are still about nine months left with her but he knows their days with each other are numbered and the sooner he accepted that the better. 

He glances in the rear view mirror to check on his sister and as usual she has her camera in her hand and is snapping away happily. He loves seeing Jennifer in her element. She was a talented photographer, always has been and Los Angeles was the perfect place for her career but he missed her. He didn’t get to see her as often as he’d like to but he had no right to tell her that. He had no right to tell her to come back home where she belongs.

His thoughts are cut short when they finally arrive at the campsite. Vic is the first one out of the car before he can even park it, making the siblings laugh. He parks, they grab their things and walk towards their reserved spot when he notices two tents - one smaller and one quite large one - already there. As they come closer, Lucas realizes that he knows the people who “stole” their spot.

“Travis?” Lucas and Vic ask in unison.

“Oh, hi. Is this your spot?” He asks innocently and Lucas can see right through him. He looks around and notices Miller, Gibson, Herrera and Bishop there as well. “We can find another spot,” he suggests.

“Don’t be stupid. There is more than enough room here for two more tents,” Jennifer says and Lucas looks at the three of them and quickly does the math. He will have to share a tent with Vic since only Travis knows the truth about him and Vic. “Besides, it’s my birthday tomorrow and the more the merrier,” she smiles happily. “Come on, big brother. Let’s set up our tents.”

Jennifer and Vic abandon him halfway through to join the other two women to explore the campsite while Gibson, Miller and Travis help him.

“I’m sorry for messing up your plans, Chief,” Gibson apologizes. “We thought it would be nice to hang out as a team. We haven’t done that in a long time,” he explains and Lucas nods.

“No need to apologize. You heard my sister. Apparently, hanging out with just me is no longer good enough,” he jokes. “Whose idea was it to come here?” he can’t resist to ask.

“Oh, Maya’s. She used to train here. She said that there are great trails to run here,” Gibson explains and Travis and Miller nod. Lucas is surprised. He was pretty sure that this was Travis idea but apparently not. Maybe it was a coincidence after all.

They manage to get everything set up fairly quickly just in time for the others to return. 

Jennifer tells him that she had found the perfect place to do her shoot with Vic and her friends. She had wanted Vic to pose for her since he sent her a picture many weeks ago. She had said that Vic had the perfect face and any photographer would be happy to shoot her and Lucas agreed. Vic was by far the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen and right now she was laughing with her teammates and just having fun and it made his heart skip a beat to see her so happy and relaxed. He watches his sister as she captures that moment with her camera and smiles. 

He sighs as he sits down on the bench by the lake to watch the sunset. A moment later, he feels  hands on his shoulders, just resting there and looks up to find Vic standing behind him. He tugs at her hand and signals for her to sit down beside him but instead she plops down on his lap, wiggles a bit until she is comfortable and smiles. Lucas takes a deep breath to stay calm and reminds himself that she is only doing it to keep up appearances in front of her team but that doesn’t mean that he can’t enjoy it anyway. He wraps his arms around her as she leans back against him. Her eyes are closed, the sun illuminating her face and hair that blows softly in the wind. She looks like an angel and he can’t look away. She must feel him staring because she reminds him that he is missing the sunset.

“You are more beautiful,” he says as the others join them on the bench.

“Does that line ever work?” She teases and laughs, her entire body vibrating in his arms. 

“Apparently it does because you did marry him after all,” Maya chimes in, making everyone laugh.

Lucas tightens his hold on her as she cuddles further into him and they all just enjoy the last sun rays of the day. The peaceful moment is interrupted by several stomachs growling which makes everyone laugh.

They get up and prepare some sandwiches while his sister can’t seem to put away her camera not even when dinner is served and they all eat. She tells him that she is not hungry and just wants to capture it all. She sounds so happy that Lucas stops bothering her about food and just listens to Vic’s team instead as they talk about the job and life itself. He realizes that it’s the first time that they are all hanging out together like that and he finds that it’s rather enjoyable. They are good people and Lucas understands why they mean so much to Vic.

It’s rather late when everyone disappears into their tents - Herrera and Bishop share the smaller one while Travis, Miller and Gibson stay inside the big one - and it’s just him and Vic.

“I think I’m gonna go for a walk,” she announces.

“You want me to come with?” she doesn’t answer just shakes her head. “Okay. Stay safe!”

He sighs as he retreats into their tent and waits for her to return but seeing as he is exhausted, he falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.  
  


* * *

  
Vic walks away from Luke to clear her head. She had been blindsided by Travis and the rest of her team being there as well which meant that she had to share a tent with her “husband” and that was something she wasn’t looking forward to considering her physical attraction to him. It probably wasn’t the best idea to sit on his lap earlier but she had told herself that this was what a happily married couple would do and he did motion for her to join him on the bench after all. She can still feel his arms around her waist and it makes her shiver. She doesn’t realize that she is playing with her wedding band until it falls to the ground and rolls in the dirt. She watches in horror as it rolls towards the water but is glad when it stops before it can fall into the lake. She reaches for it but slips and lands in the lake herself which is freezing cold. She struggles to get out of the water but finally manages to get out. She grabs her ring and walks back to the campsite.

She unzips the tent and crawls inside before zipping it again, immediately taking off her soaking wet clothes as she shivers. 

“Oh my God, Vic! What happened?” she hears Luke’s concerned voice as he wakes up and looks at her in horror.

“I slipped and fell into the lake,” she explains, her teeth chattering.

“Are you hurt?” His tone is worried as he checks her body for injuries which would usually make Vic feel self-conscious but instead she feels cared for in a way. 

“Just my pride,” she jokes as he opens up his sleeping bag for her to join him and she doesn’t hesitate as she crawls inside and snuggles against him. “Maybe you should take off your shirt?” She suggests because she needs bodyheat to keep her warm. She hears him hiss at the contact of her cold body against his warm and mumbles a quick “sorry”. She knows that this is a bad idea but she really doesn’t want to freeze to death.

“You know when you mentioned me getting a free pass at seeing you in your underwear again, this is definitely not what I pictured,” he jokes, making her chuckle. His arms wrap around her to pull her closer to him and she can’t help but sigh.

“Sully was right,” she tells him as he looks at her in confusion. “You  _ are _ a furnace,” he laughs out loud and it’s Vic’s new favorite sound, she thinks. 

“Is this okay?” he asks, rubbing her back and shoulders as she nods against him. “Are you comfortable?”

“Mmmmh,” she sighs. “This feels nice,” she moans as she snuggles into his chest and falls asleep instantly.

When she wakes up the next morning, she can feel his warm body pressed against her back as they are spooning now. She can feel him half-hard against her buttcheeks and she blushes because he ain’t small and he isn’t even fully hard. His face is buried in the crook of her neck, his breath tickling her skin, their legs tangled together while his arm is wrapped around her waist with his hand splayed across her stomach, his fingers grazing the underside of her left boob.

She can feel him stir behind her, thinking he is about to wake up, she pretends to still be asleep because she doesn’t want him to know how much she likes being in his arms and feeling him pressed against her. She is sure that once he wakes up and realizes the position they are currently in he will pull away but to her surprise, he keeps his tight grip around her waist, nuzzles her neck before pressing a kiss to her shoulder. His soft snores fill her ears and she relaxes against him. She may as well enjoy it for as long as it lasts. She falls asleep again and it’s the most content she has felt in years.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas wakes up in the middle of the night with a half naked Vic pressed against him. Her underwear is no longer wet and her body feels warm again. His hand is on the small of her back, his fingers brushing against the waistband of her panties and he wants to move away from her - put some distance between them - but the limited space inside the sleeping bag makes it impossible. Suddenly, she turns in his arms, so her back is now against his chest while pressing her ass against his crotch. He stops breathing for a moment because she wiggles against him trying to get comfortable. He wants to remove his hand from her hip but she reaches for it, interlacing their fingers, pulling his arm around her waist and holding it close to her chest. He tries to ignore the fact that he is basically groping her. There is no way out of this position, so he may as well enjoy being so close to her since this won’t happen ever again. He relaxes against her and falls asleep instantly. 

He wakes again sometime in the morning. They are still spooning, his nose is buried in the crook of her neck and she smells so good even after falling into the lake. Her ass is still pressed against his now half-hard cock which he tries to wish away but all he can think about is how good she feels in his arms, like she belongs there. He knows he should try and move out of their current position but instead he nuzzles her neck, kisses her shoulder and goes back to sleep, hoping that when she wakes up he is no longer hard.

When he wakes up for a third time, he is by himself. He checks his watch and realizes that he had slept in which he doesn’t usually do but he remembers that he slept better than he had in years and that is all because of Vic. He sighs as he rubs sleep from his eyes, gets up, puts on some clothes and leaves his tent to stretch.

“Good morning, Chief,” Herrera and Miller greet him with a smile as she munches on some fruits while he keeps himself hydrated.

“Good morning,” he replies and looks around. “Where is everyone else?” He wonders.

“Your sister, Maya and Jack went for a run,” Herrera tells him. “Travis and Vic went for a walk.”

“Did you have a pleasant night, sir?” Miller asks and Lucas raises an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. Just trying to make conversation. Forget that I asked,” he looks flushed and Lucas chuckles.

“Asked what?” he hears Vic as she and Travis return from their walk.

“Nothing. Forget it.” he says and excuses himself and Lucas thinks that he could see fear in Miller’s eyes. Was he scared of Vic?

“Morning, hubby,” she beams at him and Lucas is glad that there is no awkwardness between them - he was sure there would be.

“Morning, Eggy! How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” she shrugs as she grabs a bottle of water and drinks.

“How did you manage to fall into the lake last night?” He asks curiously.

“You fell into the lake?” Herrera asks stunned.

“Yeah, I dropped my wedding band and it almost fell into the water. When I tried to pick it up, I slipped and fell into the lake. I didn’t realize how cold it would be.” She grabs an apple and sits down at the table.

“Good thing you had the Chief here to keep you warm,” Herrera teases, making her almost choke on the apple. 

“Is that so?” Travis looks between the “married” couple and Lucas is surprised because it doesn’t appear as if Vic had shared the events from last night with her best friend. He wonders why that is?

“Why do you sound so surprised? They are married. Of course he would keep her warm amongst other things,” Herrera implies and Lucas really just wants this conversation to be over.

“Right! Sometimes it slips my mind that they are married for real,” he gives them both a knowing look before plopping down beside Vic, stealing her apple.

Jennifer and the others return from their run a moment later, out of breath and sweaty but laughing about something.

“Well, well, look who’s finally risen from the dead,” his sister teases.

“I deserve to sleep in once in a while,” he counters.

“Admit it, you just didn’t want to let go of your gorgeous wife, big brother,” she winks and Lucas can’t help but blush because she is right after all but there is no need to tell her that.

“Have you eaten yet?” She asks.

“I was actually hoping to get a taste of Vic’s pie,” he blurts out, making everyone laugh. “I meant actual pie,” he tries to explain but it only makes it worse. 

“That’s  _ my _ birthday pie and we will eat it when I say so,” Jennifer looks like she is about to stomp her foot and Lucas feels like laughing but he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings on her special day.

“Oh, that reminds me,” he turns his back on everyone and looks for her present. He finds it a moment later.

“Happy Birthday, little sis,” he hugs her, gives her a kiss on the cheek and hands her a leather box.

“What’s that?” She wonders.

“Well, open it,” he motions for her to go ahead and he can see the excitement in her eyes as she finally looks inside and gasps.

“Oh my God, is that an antique eastman kodak cirkut panorama camera?” He nods, has no idea what any of it means but he knows how much she always wanted one. “Where did you find this? This must have cost you a fortune. Oh my God, Lucas,” she puts the present away and hugs him again, tears in her eyes. “You are the best brother one could wish for.”

“So, about that pie,” he starts again and she laughs while still hugging him. 

She pulls away. “You are impossible,” she shakes her head. “Vic, I guess it’s time for  _ my _ pie because  _ your _ hubby is impatient.” Everyone laughs as Vic gets up and grabs the delicious pastry and puts it on the table. She looks for the candle she brought along and puts it in the middle of the pie, then lights it.

Lucas smiles as everyone sings for his sister and she blows out the candle. She cuts the baked good and puts it on plates, handing it to everyone but him, teasing him for a moment but eventually she hands him a plate. He basically devours the piece and helps himself to a second serving.

“This is the best pie I’ve ever had,” he says with his mouth full which puts a big smile on Vic’s face that simply takes his breath away.

He sits back down on the bench and just watches as everyone eats, laughs and celebrates when Jennifer sits down beside him.

“Thank you so much for my gift. I’ve always wanted one of those antiques,” she puts her head on his shoulder.

“I remembered. I’m glad you like it,” he smiles.

“I don’t just like it, I love it,” she lifts her head and her expression turns serious. 

“Is something wrong?” He asks concerned.

“No, not exactly,” Lucas is getting worried now. “You know being here with you and Vic and hanging out with her friends, it made me realize something. I’m not happy in L.A. anymore. I miss all of this. I miss you and the Sullivans and I’m sure I will miss Vic as well because she is amazing,” Lucas nods in agreement. “My lease is running out soon and I was thinking of coming back home.” Lucas looks at her positively shocked and surprised. He was wishing for this but never dreamed that it would actually happen. “Say something!”

“Is it my birthday?” She furrows her forehead. “Because it feels like it’s my birthday and you just gave me the best gift ever.”

“Really?” He nods as he wraps his arms around her. “I love you, Lucas,” she whispers.

“I love you, too, Jennifer,” he kisses her cheek and keeps his arms wrapped around her a little bit longer.

“Looks like the party's over here,” Vic joins them.

“I just told Lucas that I’m moving back to Seattle in a couple of months,” Vic’s face breaks into a smile. 

“That’s amazing, Jen,” she hugs her before pulling back again. “I almost forgot, I have something for you,” she says as she pulls out a little box from her pocket. 

“Oh Vic, you didn’t have to,” she opens it and gasps. There is a beautiful bracelet inside with little charms. “This is beautiful, Vic. I love it. Thank you so much,” she gets up and hugs her before asking her to put it on her, showing it off proudly. Lucas just smiles happily.

“Have fun with the boys while we are doing our little shoot,” Vic tells him as she walks away with Jennifer.

Lucas looks at the guys and figures that there are worse things than bonding with her team. May as well become friends with them, so they don’t kill him after the divorce. Miller certainly looked like he could take him.

He learns that Jack grew up in a foster home and never got to have a real family, that Dean’s parents didn’t like him being a firefighter and wanted him to take over the family business and that Travis was still very much hung up on his dead husband. Lucas shared a bit too about his life, telling them that friends were hard to come by when you’re the chief because people didn’t usually like opening up to their boss. He also confessed that sometimes the decisions he had to make haunted him and they just listened to him. It was nice to share this with someone other than Sully. It was nice to have some more friends.  
  


* * *

  
Jennifer had always wanted to be a photographer because she loved telling a story through pictures. She had a very keen eye for details to ensure that all elements within the photo - the lighting, the composition, the subject, and everything else in between - work together harmoniously to convey the right vision and message but that message got lost when she moved to Los Angeles. She was successful but shooting actors and models was not why she became a photographer and it made her so unhappy. She didn’t realize it at first.

“Hey, you okay?” Maya asks as she catches up.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking,” she replies. 

“About what?” She wants to know. “I mean if you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

“I told Lucas that I’m moving back to Seattle,” she beams.

“That’s amazing. We totally have to hang out when you’re back,” she gives her a huge smile and Jennifer takes her camera and snaps a picture of her. 

“You are really beautiful,” she blurts out because Maya just is and she isn’t even her usual type but her blue eyes sparkle when she smiles and that smile simply takes her breath way. Jennifer tries not to think of what an amazing body she has, in addition to being really smart, disciplined and a total badass for being a firefighter.

“So are you,” she winks at her as she poses some more and Jennifer just can’t resist to take some more photos of her.

“I thought you wanted to take pictures of me,” she hears Vic complain and turns around to find her pouting and she just has to get that on camera. She is sure Lucas will love it even though he won’t admit it.

“What do you want us to do?” Andy asks as they finally reach the meadow they found yesterday. It’s filled with beautiful flowers in pink, red, yellow and purple such as buttercups, clovers, dandelions, daisies and many more with tall grass. It looks like heaven on earth.

“Just be yourselves,” she tells them. “Just have fun. I want authenticity. I want real. You don’t really get that in L.A.,” she puts down the bag that she brought with her.

“What’s in the bag?” Vic asks curiously. 

“Oh, just a couple of accessories and props,” she tells them as Andy grabs a scarf from it and starts twirling around in the flowers and grass.

Jennifer learns that she used to salsa dance and even participated in competitions when she was little. She captures a carefree, lively and incredibly sexy Andy as she dances around and laughs in the sun that is illuminating her perfectly tanned skin. Her hair and the scarf blowing in the wind, making it appear as if they are dancing with her, her eyes are sparkling and there is pure joy on her face. 

Jennifer captures it all before turning to Vic who is blowing soap bubbles at Maya who is trying to catch them. The are laughing and having fun like little children. Vic’s gorgeous curls are blowing softly in the wind, her eyes are hidden behind sunglasses but Jennifer is sure they are gleaming with joy while Maya’s blue ones are shining bright like two sapphires. 

She wants Andy to join them and looks around to find her in front of a little flower bed of daisies near a tree trunk. She can tell by the look on her face that there is a story behind it. She takes a few pictures before turning back to the others, leaving Andy to what appears to be a private moment.

Maya is doing cartwheels and Jennifer admires her body. She knows that she is a former Olympic athlete, even won a gold medal, on a sprained ankle which showed that she was very disciplined and determined. Jennifer walks closer to get better shots of her and steps on something.

“Ouch,” she hears someone beneath her and finds Vic lying in the grass, her curly hair fanned out around her face like a halo, making her look like an angel. She is no longer wearing her sunglasses, so Jennifer gets a good look at her radiant brown eyes, staring up at her in amusement. 

“Sorry, Vic. I didn’t see you there,” she apologizes as she snaps a couple of photos of her “sister-in-law”.

“Too busy ogling Maya?” She teases, making her blush. Vic’s eyes go wide at that. “I knew it.”

“Well, she is hot,” Jennifer admits while Vic smirks. “Don’t look all smug. At least I can admit to it unlike you.” Vic sticks out her tongue, making her laugh. She quickly takes a few more pics of Vic with her tongue out and then laughing about it.

“I can admit that Luke is hot. I ain’t blind,” she confesses, surprising them both.

“Sure but you are blind to his feelings for you,” Vic’s face contorts in frustration. “But it’s okay. You still have a couple of months left to realize it,” Vic’s frown turns into a chuckle.

“Why do you care so much about this?”

“Because I want you two to be happy,” she shrugs.

“What makes you think we could make each other happy? For all you know we could end up killing each other,” she jokes.

“Yeah, something tells me you two would be living happily ever after,” Vic shakes her head but smiles - the kind of smile that reaches her eyes and makes her glow even without the sun on her face. Jennifer takes a couple of more photos before moving away to look for Maya. 

She is no longer doing cartwheels instead she finds her sitting in the grass making flower crowns. 

“Hey,” she says as she sits down in front of her.

“Hey,” Maya smiles as she puts one of the crowns on Jennifer’s head and fixes her hair. She takes the camera from her hands. “You know you are gorgeous. Let me show you,” she says as she photographs her. Jennifer feels a bit self-conscious at first but with the way Maya is smiling at her the feeling fades fast and she poses for her in confidence. She takes the other flower crown and puts it on top of Maya’s head who reaches behind, tugs at her hair tie and lets her blonde hair cascading down her back and shoulders, taking Jennifer breath away. Maya puts down the camera and slowly brings her hand up to Jennifer’s cheek, caressing it softly before leaning in and planting a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling away again and giving her that big grin that Jennifer adores so much.

“Happy Birthday, Jennifer,” they beam at each other before slowing getting up and walking towards the other two. 

“We should probably head back. It’s getting late,” Andy suggests as she starts walking. Jennifer joins her while the other two stroll behind them.

“I wanted to show you something,” she says as she hands her the camera. Andy looks at the display and gasps. “I hope you don’t mind that I took these. You looked so sad but at the same time you had that fond smile on your face and it was such a serene moment. I just couldn’t help myself,” she explains, hoping Andy won’t be upset.

“Wow, these are really beautiful,” she says as she swipes through them. “You’re probably wondering about the story behind it?”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Jennifer tells her, prompting the other woman to smile sadly.

“Daisies remind me of my mom. They were her favorite flowers and funnily enough her name was Daisy,” she takes a deep breath. “She died when I was nine.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Andy,” she rubs her back for comfort. “I know what it’s like. I was only a few years older when both my parents died.”

“I’m sorry, too,” she replies. “It doesn’t get any easier even after all these years,” she sniffs.

“No, it doesn’t,” she agrees.

“Can you send me copies of these? I really love them,” Jennifer nods. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” she smiles as they walk back in silence.

They make it back to their camp just in time to pack up their things. They decide to have a birthday dinner at Jennifer’s favorite steakhouse before going home.

“Thank you so much for today. I had the best birthday,” she tells Lucas and Vic as they enter the house.

“You’re very welcome,” they say in unison and laugh.

Jennifer shakes her head at her two favorite idiots before bidding them goodnight and going upstairs.

She quickly showers, goes back to her room and lies down in her bed. She grabs her phone and is about to text Maya when she gets a message from her.

_ I can’t stop thinking about our kiss. Hope we can do it again. Goodnight xo _

Jennifer smiles and texts back that she can’t wait either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a new ship rising ;)


	14. Need a hand?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a new development in Vic's and Lucas' relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see the rating for the story went up which means we are entering the spicy adventures of Vicley. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Also, it's been a while since I've written smut, so I hope it doesn't suck too much. Let me know what you think.

It had been two weeks since the camping trip, one week since Jennifer left and things were weird. Things were weird because Vic couldn’t stop imagining her fake husband naked, couldn’t stop thinking about having him fucking her on every surface and every room in their house and couldn’t stop the sex dreams she was having every single night even when she was at work. She was sexually frustrated because no matter how much she tried, her own hand and vibrator weren’t enough or nearly as good as the real thing. She was close to throwing away her toy because it really didn’t satisfy her at all anymore.

Vic managed just fine in the week Jennifer was still there because she was somewhat of a buffer that kept them from being alone together but ever since she left, Vic had been avoiding Luke because she just couldn’t handle being alone with him. She was scared that she would do something stupid and ruin what they had. They were in a good place and she didn’t want to complicate it with sex, so she stayed away.

She focused on work, tried to distract herself from her naughty thoughts but it was impossible and in addition to that, work was slow - had been slow the entire week- so not much distraction there. She needed something to do but all her chores were done already and there was nothing left to do for her but sit in the Beanery, twiddle her thumbs and think of all the ways she wanted Luke to fuck her. 

“Dammit,” she sighed and jumped out of the chair. She ran downstairs to the exercise room, grabbed a pair of boxing gloves and just started pounding the punching bag, ignoring her need to be pounded just as hard by one fake husband and Fire Chief Lucas Ripley. For a moment she thought that maybe she should just go and find herself someone to help her out but she didn’t just want anyone. She wanted Luke. She groaned as she punched harder, ignoring her aching muscles - maybe the pain would distract her from her inappropriate thoughts.

“I wonder who pissed in your Cheerios?” she heard Travis as he came through the door and she turned around to look at her best friend before returning to the task at hand. She really wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“Noone,” she shrugged and just kept on hitting the sack.

“Come on, Vic. You have been in a mood ever since that camping trip. What’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on, okay?!”

“It’s me, Vic. You can’t bullshit me. Something happened. Tell me! Maybe I can help,” he pleaded with her. 

“I wish you could help,” she mumbled but didn’t stop throwing punches. “But no one can and that’s the problem.” She knew that he wouldn’t stop asking until she talked to him.

“Okay, stop!” he half-yelled and she finally stopped but still didn’t look at him. “Look at me and explain what’s going on,” she turned slowly, their eyes met, her shoulders slumped as she gave in and started talking.

“I’m sexually frustrated, okay? And there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it,” she whined. 

“Oh,” he gaped at her like a fish. “Actually you are wrong. There is someone that could help you with your little problem.” She was afraid to ask who he was talking about but had an inkling.

“Who?” Her face was screwed up with confusion.

“Ripley of course.” It was Vic’s turn to gape. She knew it. She knew that Travis would bring him up.

“Are you crazy?” She yelled before remembering where they were.

“Just think about it. People already assume you two are sleeping together since you are supposedly happily married, so why not actually do it. Scratch that itch and just enjoy it,” he suggested and Vic considered it for a moment because it actually made perfect sense but it would also bring a lot of problems and potentially ruin what they have.

“That sounds like a bad idea,” she sighed, taking off her gloves and sitting down on a bench. Travis remained standing, staring at her.

“Or maybe it’s the best idea ever,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Luke and I are in a good place and I don’t want to mess with that,” she explained and it was the truth.

“Then maybe you should have some ground rules,” he suggested as he sat down next to her.

“Like what?”  _ Why was she even entertaining that thought? _ , she asked herself.

“Like no cuddling afterwards. You both just go back to your own rooms. No kissing on the lips.”

“Okay, I get the “no cuddling” part but kissing on the lips?” She asked confused.

“Did you learn nothing from Pretty Woman?” He huffed and shook his head at her in a dramatic fashion.

Vic raised an eyebrow at him. “If you tell me that I’m the hooker in this scenario then we are no longer friends,” she warned him, making him roll his eyes at her.

“That’s not where I was going with this. I just meant that kissing can be even more intimate than sex. Unless of course you two have feelings for each other then you can kiss the crap out of each other of course,” Vic laughed and shook her head. She should have known that he would go there. He was like a dog with a bone.

“Nope, no. No feeling there. I’m just sexually frustrated and I don’t even know if he is too. I can’t just bring this up,” she sighed and put her head in her hands. This situation was annoying her so much.

“I would just talk to him,” he advised. “What brought this on?” He wondered.

“What do you mean?” She didn’t tell him what really happened that night in the tent because she didn’t want him to make a big deal out of it.

“As I said earlier. You have been weird since the camping trip. So what happened? And don’t think I don’t remember you wiggling in his lap and him staring at you like you are his sun, moon and stars.”

“That was just for show for the others. Isn’t that what happy couples do?” She explained while he stared at her in disbelief.

“Sure. So him keeping you warm at night after you fell into the lake was also for show? I’m just wondering for who since it was just the two of you.”

“I told you that we only shared the sleeping bag until i was warm and dry again and then I went back to my own,” she lied while rolling her eyes, hoping that he would believe her.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night,” he chuckled. “Anyways, back to your little problem. I would just talk to him. I mean, you can’t just go and screw someone else, right?” Vic shook her head again. “And staying celebate for the next couple of months will probably kill you.”

“Oh, don’t be so over dramatic. I could manage,” she really wasn’t sure she actually could.

“I meant because  _ I _ would kill you. I can’t stand you being so moody and mopey all the time. You need to get laid and it needs to happen soon,” Vic knew he was right. She really needed a good fuck and Luke was the perfect canidate.

Her shift finally ended and she was more than ready to go home but somehow she found herself at Freddie’s buying burgers and fries and then on her way to headquarters instead. She just couldn’t get her talk with Travis out of her head and was contemplating to tell Luke about it but she wasn’t sure she should. 

As she entered the building she realized that she hadn’t been there since their interview with HR and she didn’t really know what to expect but as she passed some of Luke’s female coworkers she couldn’t help but notice them not only staring at her but also whispering behind her back and she felt really uncomfortable. She didn’t understand why women did that to one another but she figured being married to the Chief who was quite handsome would provoke such a reaction. If only those women knew that they weren’t really married. 

As she thought back to the last couple of months, she actually couldn’t remember one incident at a scene were people made rude comments about her and the Chief or at least if they did she hadn’t heard any of it. Although it could also be because most of the time it was Station 42 that would assist them and considering that Sully was Luke’s best friend, Vic figured that Sully’s people knew better than to talk smack about their Captain’s best friend and his wife. She was grateful for that.

She finally arrived at Luke’s office and was greeted by his assistant. “Hi, how may I help you?” She asked, giving her a warm smile, making Vic feel comfortable unlike all the other women. 

She looked at the nameplate on her desk. “Hi Tanya,” she greeted, “my name is Victoria. I’m the Chief’s wife,” she introduced herself.

“I know who you are, my dear. Lucas has shown me photos and talks about you quite a lot,” she replied, making Vic blush.

“Oh, he does?” She asked surprised and wondered what he had told Tanya.

“Of course he does. I’ve never seen him so happy and I’ve been with him for years. He shows up at work with the biggest smile on his face and leaves looking really excited and happy to go home to you. I’m glad he found you even though it’s a bit of a scandal,” she joked, making Vic laugh.

“Um, is he in his office?” She wondered. “I brought lunch.” She waved the paper bag in front of Tanya’s face, making the older woman laugh out loud.

“You two are perfect for each other,” Vic gave her a confused look. “He was just asking for burgers from Freddie’s,” she explained, making Vic chuckle.

“What can I say? I know my hubby,” she smiled.

“He will be happy to see you. His schedule is cleared for about an hour and I’ll be going on my own break and leave you two alone but still make sure to lock the door because you never know who may come by,” she winked as she grabbed her bag and left.

Vic didn’t bother knocking and just walked into his office to find him sitting in his chair, eyes closed, tie loosened, looking relaxed and sexy. She rubbed her thighs together as she thought about locking the door and climbing him like a tree. 

_ Get it together, Victoria _ , she reminded herself.

“That was quick,” he said, obviously thinking she was his assistant only to open his eyes and find Vic standing in front of him. “Vic? What are you doing here?” He asked pleasantly surprised.

“A little birdy told me you were craving burgers,” she replied and dropped the food onto his table. His face lit up immediately and made her heart skip a beat. She loved his smile.

“How did you? I just told Tanya,” he looked at her in surprise and awe.

“I guess I know you pretty well plus you always eat burgers from Freddie’s on Thursdays,” she had discovered that little fact five weeks into their arrangement. He was a creature of habit.

“Very observant, Mrs. Ripley,” he teased.

“Why thank you, Mr. Ripley,” she teased back and laughed. She sat down in one of the chairs and reached for her burger, unwrapping it and taking a bite.

“So, what brings you here?” he asked while offering her some of the fries. They liked to buy one big portion and then share it. It was weird but it was their thing and something that Vic really loved. She grabbed a couple of fries and stuffed her mouth, not wanting to answer his question. 

_ Why was she even there?,  _ she wondered.

“Is something wrong? You’ve been acting strange since Jennifer left,” Vic had hoped that he hadn’t noticed that but of course he had. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied as she stuffed her mouth with more food. She knew he could see right through her. The downside of knowing him so well, was that he knew her just as well.

“Don’t give me that. You have been distant lately,” she shook her head. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you avoiding me.” Vic sighed but didn’t speak. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“I’m just a bit frustrated, is all,” it was the truth, to some extent.

“Oh. Is it something I did?” She shook her head. “Maybe if you tell me I can give you a hand with whatever it is?” He said and Vic choked on her burger because he definitely couldn’t give her a hand. That was the problem after all.

“Um, nope, no, nope. You definitely can’t give me a hand because we are friends and that would make everything even more complicated. So, no to you giving me a hand,” she babbled as he looked at her in confusion.

“You are doing this thing again where I’m just confused and don’t understand a word,” he snickered.

Vic took a deep breath before finally admitting what was wrong with her. “You can’t help me because I’m… fuck, that’s harder than I thought,” she paused for a moment and stared at him. His expression was curious and it was now or never. “I’m sexually frustrated,” she blurted out. Her admission rendered him speechless as his eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. If Vic hadn’t been so scared of his reaction she would have taken a photo because he looked comical.

It took him a moment before he finally spoke. “Oh, wow. So me offering a hand was probably not the best idea,” he joked to lighten the mood.  

“Well, it depends on who you ask?”   
  
“What do you mean?”

“Um, Travis kinda made an interesting point,” she started and watched him squirm. “He said that since people already assumed we were sleeping together, like your assistant, by the way, who just suggested to lock the door while winking at me,” Luke chuckled in amusement. “Anyways, Travis suggested we should just change our arrangement and add sex to it to help each other out since we couldn’t involve another person to help scratch that itch.” she said nervously, hoping that she didn’t just ruin everything.

He just stared at her but didn’t say anything. Vic couldn’t read him and that was a first for her. She could always read him but right now she didn’t know what was going on in his head.

He didn’t speak, so she continued. “He also said that we should have ground rules to keep it from complicating things.”

“Like what?” He asked curiously.  _ Was he actually considering this?, _ Vic thought.

“Like no cuddling and no kissing on the mouth because apparently that’s too intimate,” she said, making him laugh.

“Why does the “no kissing on the mouth” part sound so familiar?” he asked. 

“Pretty Woman,” she simply replied, shrugging.

“Wait! Isn’t that the movie with the hooker and the rich dude?” He asked.

“That was not the point he was trying to make. He just tried to give me options to keep it “professional” in case we decide to go there,” she explained while he nodded.

“What did you tell Travis when he made that suggestion?” She could see the curiosity on his face.

“I, um, I told him that it’s a bad idea because we are friends and in a good place and I wouldn’t wanna complicate it with sex,” she admitted while watching his face and for one second she thought she saw disappointment there but she was sure she was mistaken. 

“Yeah, I wouldn’t wanna jeopardize what we have either,” he agreed and Vic knew that would be his answer but it still stung a little bit.

“Yeah, I’m glad we are on the same page about this,” she lied.

They ate the rest of their lunch in silence. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but also not really awkward. It was something in between and Vic wasn’t sure she liked it. She wished she hadn’t said anything and just continued to avoid him at home. 

“Um, I should probably leave and let you get back to work,” she said while getting up and grabbing her bag.

“Sure. Thank you for bringing me lunch and for the company. Let me walk you out,” he smiled.

They walked through headquarters, just talking and his colleagues were staring again.

“You know, I’m pretty sure all of them have your calendar hanging on their walls already,” she whispered to him.

“What?”

“Remember when you told me how they looked at you in disappointment?” He nodded. “They weren’t disappointed because you married a subordinate. They were disappointed because you married period,” he laughed. “You’ve got plenty of new candidates right here in front of your nose once we are divorced,” she whispered, trying not to show the hurt in her eyes and then she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and left.

She got into her car and drove to the next store to get groceries and other things before finally driving home and distracting herself work housework.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas spent the rest of his day with only one thing on his mind, Vic and her sexual frustration and his own for that matter. He would be lying if he said he didn’t feel the same way. Ever since that night in the tent he was craving her, wanted to be with her, wanted to give her pleasure in every way possible. He had noticed her avoiding him and didn’t really mind much at first because it made it easier but after a while he missed her and their friendship.

He didn’t get any work done, so he was glad when he could finally leave but then again he was also dreading going home and dealing with Vic and this new situation. Things were a bit awkward at lunch after she brought it up and he didn’t want to awkwardness at home. He made up his mind that he wouldn’t go there with her, that it would be wrong and that they needed to remain just friends and not friends with benefits. 

He got into his car and drove home. He entered the quiet house thinking that she was not home until he heard someone play the piano or attempt to play. As he walked into the living room, he found Vic sitting on the piano bench, poking at the keys and it was clear to him that she had no idea what she was doing. As he walked closer, he noticed that she was wearing one of his old crew shirts and his breath hitched at the sight.

She finally noticed him as she looked up and stopped instantly, looking slightly embarrassed and somewhat frightened.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I can stop if you want me to. I didn’t...” she started but he stopped her.

“I don’t mind,” he smiled. “Are you wearing my shirt?” He asked amused as she looked down at herself.

“Yeah, I was doing laundry and that was the only clean shirt I could find,” she explained, making him chuckle as he tried his best not to show how affected he was by her wearing his shirt.

"It looks way better on you than on me anyway," he complimented her, making her blush. 

“So, um, what’s the story behind the piano? If you don’t mind me asking.”

He sighed. “It was my mother’s. She was a music teacher and the piano was her favorite instrument,” he smiled fondly. “My mother was a really talented musician. She taught me and Jennifer how to play all sorts of instruments. I loved playing the guitar while Jennifer enjoyed the drums,” he laughed at the memories. 

“Do you still remember how to play?” Vic asked him and he nodded.

“I haven’t played in a long time but I think I still remember the basics,” he admitted.

“Can you show me?” She asked innocently but it was anything but innocent. He knew where this was going and there was nothing he could do to stop it because he really didn’t want to.  
  
She patted the space behind her for him to sit down. The bench was quite large so he could  easily fit behind her and even though it was a bad idea it didn’t stop him as his body had a mind of its own. He sat down and she made herself comfortable between his legs. Her back was pressed against his chest as his arms encircled her and he put his hands on top of hers, making her breath hitch. He felt his heart pounding ready to burst out of his chest because it felt so good to have her in his arms again.

Their fingers glided over the keys but he was sure that she wasn’t paying attention to that and neither was he. Both were aware of the close proximity they were in and knew they should move out of this position but they didn’t because neither of them wanted to. He rested his head on her shoulder - her hair tickling his cheek - and looked down at her exposed thighs, inhaling sharply as he imagined touching her soft skin.

She wiggled her ass against his crotch and he could feel his cock stir to life. “Vic,” came out in a breathless whisper. “No matter how much I would like to, I can't. I'd be taking advantage,” he protested weakly as their hands stopped playing but remained on the keys.

“No, you really wouldn't be,” she replied as she grabbed his hands and placed them on her naked thighs, the contact making her squirm as she felt the electricity course through her body.

“I’m your fake husband. You're...You're you,” he sighed, not daring to move his hands.

She turned her head to the side and nuzzled his cheek before whispering into his ear. “Taking advantage implies a lack of consent on my part. I'm a grown woman sitting here consenting. I'm the definition of consent.” And that made his resolve crumble. He knew this was happening and there was no going back. She bit back a moan as his hands started caressing her skin. “I want this, Luke. I want you!” she breathed out as she melted against him while raising her thighs onto his and spreading her legs wide to give him more room to work as his fingers glided over the insides of her thighs, squeezing them, inching closer and closer to where she was desperate for him to touch her. His brain short circuited when he found her already dripping wet and completely naked underneath. She whimpered and moaned into his ear when his fingers finally touched her swollen clit.

“Oh fuck,” he cursed. “You are not wearing anything underneath my shirt,” he panted. He was sure she was trying to kill him.

“I told you I was doing laundry,” his fingers circled her clit in slow motions before pressing down harder, her head rolling back against his shoulder while his was still resting on her shoulder, looking down at his nimble fingers working between her legs, feeling her getting wetter and wetter with each stroke.

“You can do laundry more often if that’s the result,” he teased, making her chuckle. 

“Mmmmh, this feels so good,” she gasped as she started rolling her hips, rubbing harder against his half-hard cock, her nails digging into his thighs - he knew there would be marks later. Vic was so close already. All she needed was for him to move just a little bit faster and she would be coming apart in his arms. He peppered her neck with kisses, while one of his hands squeezed her breasts through the shirt, playing with her nipples as his fingers kept flicking the bundle of nerves between her legs furiously, making her moan loudly. “Inside of me, please,” she pleaded as he entered her with two fingers, her walls clenching around them instantly, he added a third one and started thrusting in and out of her at a punishing pace, thinking about burying himself inside of her over and over again, feeling her squeeze him and coming on him. She was babbling nonsense now, telling him to touch her clit because she was so close, so Lucas pressed his thumb down on her clit hard and the result was instantaneous as she cried out and came around his fingers while he kept pumping in and out of her prolonging her pleasure. 

“Fuck, I didn’t expect you to come so fast,” he swallowed hard as she went limp against him.

“You better not be smug about that,” she joked while trying to catch her breath, his fingers still working inside of her before removing them to lick them clean, making her groan.

“Damn, you taste so good,” he watched as she came back to her senses and put down the fall board of the piano before standing on wobbly legs and sitting down on top of it. He couldn’t help but stare at the perfect goddess in front of him. He hooked one hand behind her knee and lifted her legs onto the bench next to his hip and then did the same with the other leg, spreading her wide in front of him. Her smell was intoxicating and he couldn’t wait to eat her out - had imagined it so many times - and now he finally had her at his mercy.

“Oh God,” she exhaled shakily, still coming down from her high as he started kissing the insides of her thighs while she leaned back against the piano, enjoying his lips on her skin. She couldn’t wait to have him eat her out as she remembered the night in Vegas. He was so good with his mouth and tongue and now they were both sober and would remember it. Her hips almost came off the piano as he finally took her sensitive nub into his mouth and sucked hard on it. He had to hold her hips down as he sucked, licked and teased her clit with his teeth. “Oh my God,” she moaned again as he lapped at her, her fingers threading through his soft curls, pulling at his hair as he started licking her in earnest before sucking her clit harder. She writhed against him, her orgasm building as he moved his tongue faster. Vic looked down at him between her legs and swallowed hard when she realized that he was watching her face the entire time and that’s all it took as her body spasmed in orgasm for a second time in a matter of minutes. She wondered how the hell she was going to give this man up when their year was up as she trembled in his arms while he lapped up her juices like a starving man. 

“I love watching your face when you come,” he groaned headily against her sex before looking up and gazing into her eyes. She felt positively debauched - probably looked like it too - while her legs felt like jello as she stumbled a bit when she put them down from the bench and tried to stand. She was holding onto his broad shoulders while his hands held her steady by her hips helping her climb into his lap.

“So, an all you can eat buffet, huh?” He suddenly blurted out.

“What did you just say?” She asked shocked, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

“It just came to me when you...” he paused and Vic couldn’t help but blush. 

“When I came?” She finished and he laughed out loud while nodding. “So you remember and you weren’t really sleeping when I talked to Travis, were you?” She wanted to know.

“I was just resting my eyes because you wore me out,” he confessed, “and I don’t remember everything but I do remember our night together and well, your conversation with Travis,” he smirked as she buried her face in the curve of his neck, feeling slightly embarrassed. “No, don’t be embarrassed. That night was incredible. That was the most fun I ever had until now that is,” he whispered into her ear, making her sigh and lift her head to look at him. “I can’t wait for a repeat,” he groaned, his hard cock straining against the fabric of his underwear. He was so ready to bury himself inside her to the hilt and fuck her senseless.

She gave him a smile before tugging at his tie. “You are wearing way too many clothes,” she complained as she loosened it and let it drop to the floor then proceeded to unbutton his dress shirt while he watched her through hooded eyes, his hands massaged her ass as she rocked her hips against his. 

She bit her lower lip when she finally had him shirtless in front of her. It was her turn to admire his body as her hands glided over his defined arms while kissing down his neck. Her nails raked down his torso to his belt buckle which she undid in one swift move before unzipping his pants and sneaking her hand into his underwear to grasp him, his head falling against her shoulder as she stroked him. He felt so big and smooth in her hand and he grunted when she swiped her thumb over the tip that was leaking beads of precum. She stroked him a couple of times before he slapped her hand away and lifted his head to look into her lust-blown eyes. He grabbed the hem of her - his - shirt and pulled it over her head, throwing it over his shoulder, making her laugh. For a moment he just stared at her and swallowed hard because he couldn’t believe his luck.

“You’re a goddess,” he told her, making her blush and cry out as he took one nipple in his mouth, sucking on it and teasing it with his teeth while his hand cupped the other breast, massaging it, his fingers tweaking her nipple, making her writhe on top of him.

“Please, stop teasing me already. I need you inside of me,” she gasped and that was all he needed to hear. He gripped her ass in his large hands and stood up from the piano bench, moving them to the couch where he laid her down gently, admiring her gorgeous body. Her hair was fanned out like a halo around her face, making her look like an angel and Lucas sighed because she was so beautiful.

“Do you need help taking off your pants,” she teased, bringing him back to reality.

“No, I was just thinking that you’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on,” he admitted, making her blush but also break out in the biggest smile that made her eyes sparkle. He smiled back as he finally pulled his pants down, taking his underwear with them. Vic licked her lips in anticipation as she spread her legs, showing him how wet and ready she was for him while staring at his impressive cock. 

_ This was going to be so good _ , she thought as he settled between her thighs. She felt him hard against her opening but he didn’t move as he just stared into her eyes.

“Luke, I swear to God if you do-” but the rest of the sentence died in her throat as he finally pushed into her tight wet heat, stretching and filling her in the most delicious way. Her back arched as her nails dug into his skin, her muscles tightening around him, making him groan into her ear.

He stilled for a moment, the feeling of her so perfectly snug around him threatening to overwhelm him. She was glad because she needed a moment to adjust to his size. He wasn’t exactly small but Vic felt like he was the perfect fit. She nodded her head when she was ready for him to move again and he pulled almost all the way out before pushing back into her with force, making her bounce in his arms and moan in delight as he set a slow pace, fucking her with deep, hard strokes. Vic pulled her legs higher on his hips, locking her ankles behind his back which forced him deeper into her, both groaning as he hit that spot inside of her that made her see stars and her toes curl. Her body was on fire and she couldn’t wait to come on him and feel him explode inside of her. It felt better than any dream or fantasy she had ever had about him or any other man for that matter.

His gaze was locked with hers, their foreheads touching, mouths hanging open as their breaths mingled and he started fucking her faster, not going in as deep as before but ramming into her faster and harder like she begged him to. He kept thrusting into her over and over, feeling her muscles contract around him, squeezing him and he was so close. He needed to feel her come before he could let go himself, so he snuck a hand between their bodies, rubbing her sensitive nub furiously while pounding into her. She was a babbling mess as she finally climaxed, screaming and moaning into his ear as he kept going, prolonging her orgasm. Her legs were trembling around his hips as she begged him for more and more.

“Don’t stop! Please, don’t stop! I’m so close again,” she breathed into his ear, his eyes widened and teeth clenched, holding back his own release he pumped into her even harder because he wanted nothing more than to give her pleasure. He kept going, thrusting into her wildly, watching the pure bliss on her face as she bit her lip. He wanted to kiss her so badly but he remembered their rule of no kissing on the mouth, so instead he buried his head in the crook of her neck and kissed her skin instead as she clamped down on him again, screaming in ecstasy while orgasming for a fourth time. She bit his shoulder as she felt him spill inside of her a moment later, making him cry out her name as he went limp on top of her.  

After a moment, he lifted his head and looked down at her flushed face, brushing the hair from her sweaty forehead. They were just staring at each other, trying to catch their breaths. Her legs were still locked behind his hip, not ready to let go of him just yet but he wasn’t in a hurry either.

“That was...” she couldn’t help as her inner muscles clenched around his softening cock, making him groan, his head dropping to her shoulder again, kissing it. “Fuck, that was so amazing.”

“Oh yes! I was wrong. This was a fantastic idea,” he sighed against her neck.

“Definitely! The best idea,” she agreed as she traced the bite mark on his shoulder with her fingers.

“You bit me again,” he complained but smiled.

“Well, you fucked my brains out, so...” she chuckled as he finally pulled out, both missing the feeling of being connected right away.

He handed her some tissues from the table to clean up while putting his boxer shorts back on and grabbing her shirt, handing it to her while looking at her body, biting his lip.

“See something you like?” She smirked with her eyebrow raised.

“Oh, you have no idea. In my fantasy, you are naked all the time,” he confessed, as she put his shirt back on. 

“Funny because in my fantasy, you are also naked all the time,” she laughed while getting off the couch and looking at it for a moment. “We either have to buy a new couch or disinfect this one after what we just did,” she joked, making him laugh.

“Let’s get some food first. We can worry about the couch later,” he took her hand in his, entwining their fingers as they walked into the kitchen to make some dinner.

“What are you in the mood for?” She asked and it took everything in him to not say something cheesy like “you”, so he just shrugged. “I think I want pasta,” she suggested. “We just burned off plenty of calories,” they chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

They washed their hands before starting on the food. He grabbed a few ingredients from the fridge and turned his head to look at her. He found her reaching for a bowl high up on the shelf, her shirt riding up, exposing her beautiful ass. He couldn’t help but stare as he licked his lips, wanting to spank her. He could already feel himself harden again. She was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it.

She caught him staring when she asked for help and he didn’t answer. She smirked as his eyes were fixed on her behind and she could feel herself getting wet again, hoping that he would fuck her again. She was already craving him again.

She cleared her throat which finally got his attention as he looked up at her in embarrassment like being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. She smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.

“You know if you want to go for another round, all you have to do is ask. This new arrangement is for both our benefit not just mine,” she purred as he exhaled sharply and stalked over to where she was standing. He pressed himself against her back, letting her feel how much she affected him.

“Can you feel what you’re doing to me?” he breathed into her ear as he pulled down his underwear and bend her forward, her arms propped up on the kitchen counter. He lifted her shirt, so he could admire her perfectly pear shaped ass before he brought one hand down and spanked her hard.

“Oh fuck,” she moaned. “I need more,” she begged, so he did it again and again. Vic had never been spanked before and she didn’t think she would like it because there was something wantonly about it but she knew she mostly liked it because it was Luke doing the spanking. She squirmed as she felt the head of his cock teasing her folds before finally pushing into her to the hilt. She was so wet that he went in with ease, pounding into her hard and fast like she wanted him to. They were both so worked up that it didn’t take long for either one to reach their peak as they screamed and moaned each others name.

He pulled out and put his underwear back on while she excused herself to the bathroom to freshen up.

They made dinner and spent the rest of their evening on the couch - after disinfecting it - like they usually did. The tension and awkwardness was gone and Vic was glad. She hated not being able to just talk to him and be herself around him. They both agreed to keep the new arrangement to themselves because they didn’t need or want their friends all up in their business and they agreed to Travis’ rules. 

When it was time for bed, she winked at him and asked him if he wanted to “tuck her in”. He just smirked and nodded before leading her upstairs and fucking her one more time against the door of her room.

Vic woke up the next morning feeling slightly sore but in the best way possible. She couldn’t help but think of Luke as she stretched and got up from her bed. She looked at her clock and smirked as she left her room and went into his. She smiled as she heard the shower running. He was a creature of habit after all, so she knew he would be in the shower at this time. She dropped her shirt on the floor and walked into his bathroom, finding him underneath the warm water.

“Morning,” she said as she entered the shower, hugged him from behind and pressed her naked body against his, kissing his shoulder and roaming his chest with her hands.

“Morning,” he replied as he grabbed one of her hands and kissed it while her other hand reached for him and started stroking him. “Fuck, Vic,” he moaned.

“That’s the idea,” she smirked against his back as she stroked him to full hardness.

He stopped her hand and turned around to look at her, his eyes dark and breath ragged.

“I’m gonna be late,” he protested weakly as one of his hands cupped her breast while the other started playing with her clit, making her wet and ready for him. He pushed her against the tiles and lifted one of her legs high on his hip before entering her and setting a fast rhythm, making her breasts bounce with each thrust into her. 

“Harder, Luke! Please,” she begged and he obliged instantly as he rammed into her as hard as possible, making her tremble and moan as she came around him with a scream taking him with her a moment later.

“Good morning, indeed,” he said as he kissed her shoulder and pulled out.

“I just figured what better way to start the day than with a bang,” he laughed out loud and shook his head.

“You're cute when you say ridiculous things like that,” he teased as she wiggled her eyebrows and smiled at him.

They finished their shower and had breakfast before he had to leave for work. Vic spent the rest of the day doing nothing at all except for sexting him because she was still so horny. When he finally came home, he barely made it through the door before she pounced on him and fucked him in the main hall with his clothes still on, telling him that she wanted to have sex in every single room of their house and on every surface while he joked about either getting new furniture afterwards or ordering a one-year supply of disinfectant.


	15. Marry You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas and Vic have a visitor who makes things a little bit difficult for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't plan for this chapter to be this long but yeah I hope you enjoy it. There is fluff, there is smut, there is cuteness. 
> 
> Also, thanks everyone for the support. I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying it so much.

Vic knew that having sex on a regular basis was amazing, she’s had it before, but having sex with Luke on a regular basis was mindblowing, toecurling and simply the best thing ever. It had been three weeks since they decided to add sex to their arrangement and it was definitley the best decision because it was working for both of them. They were happier and more relaxed - sex every day would do that to you, she told herself. They managed to find a routine that worked perfectly for them. They would have sex every morning in the shower - because saving water was important - before he had to leave for work. She even got up early on her days off just so he could fuck her. If she was at work in the morning then they would have sex when he came home in the evening and sometimes they managed to do it in the morning and evening depending on their work schedule. When they had days off together they basically did nothing else except the occasional dinner with the Sullivans or Travis and shop for groceries. 

They had managed to keep it to themselves and it was the funniest thing that she had to sneak around with her fake husband so their friends, who knew the truth about their marriage, wouldn’t find out about them sleeping together now. Vic felt that it added a certain thrill and made it even hotter than it already was.

Vic hated lying to Travis though but she felt like it was necessary because she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. When he asked her about her mood change she just told him that she had gotten herself a new toy that did a better job than the old one which wasn’t technically a lie. She just failed to mention that her new toy was a living, breathing human being whose name was Lucas Ripley. At first he looked at her funny but he never mentioned it again. He either believed her or he could see right through her and just chose not to say anything about it and Vic was glad because she really didn’t feel like explaining anything or being grilled about it. She was having fun and so was Luke and they didn’t owe anyone anything. 

What she loved the most about all of it - besides no longer being sexually frustrated and it being the perfect stress-relief, for both of them - was that nothing had changed between them. They were still acting the same around each other, just with the addition of sex. That was the thing Vic had been scared about the most but there was no reason for it. She was living in pure sexual bliss while still maintaining a friendship with her fake husband and things were just going great for them until they weren’t.

It was their day off and they were having a lazy day. Luke had already fucked her during breakfast, feasting on her juices while going down on her and Vic enjoyed it immensely because not only did he know what he was doing but he really loved eating her out. He was so enthusiastic about it, about giving her that kind of pleasure and it was a turn on in itself, watching him lapping at her like that. After he made her come on his tongue, she impaled herself on his massive cock, her back to his chest and fucked him lazily while he fed her with strawberries. He managed to make her come two more times before he exploded inside of her.

They were in his bedroom, on the chaise lounge by his window with her sitting on top of him, rolling her hips slowly, just enjoying the feel of him buried so deep inside of her while his mouth was latched onto her nipple licking and sucking on it, one hand on her hip guiding her and the other hand was kneading her ass with the occasional slap. He had confided that he loved her ass, loved spanking her and she had confided that she loved being spanked by him, so he did it whenever he could.

“I love when we can just take our time,” he breathed against her chest, making her hum in agreement while her inner muscles clenched around him. “I love when you do that,” he groaned and gripped her hip tightly, thrusting up into her a little bit harder.

“Mmmh, Luke. You feel so good,” she moaned while grinding down on him.

“Fuck, babe!” She loved when he called her that. “Can we stay like this for the rest of the day,” he mumbled.

She chuckled and looked at him. “Depends on whether or not you can stay hard all day long,” she challenged, squeezing him again and he laughed.

“If you keep doing that,” he smirked and lightly bit her nipple before soothing the sting with his tongue. “Did you hear that?” He suddenly asked and Vic looked at him questioningly. 

“I didn’t hear anything. Concentrate, Luke,” she reminded him and he obeyed and started thrusting up into her a bit faster but then she heard something as well. It sounded like a car outside of their house. She moved the curtains to the side to look outside.

“Fuck, Jennifer,” she groaned out at a particularly hard thrust and he stopped.

“Did you just moan out my sisters name while I’m inside of you?” He wondered with raised eyebrows.

“Your sister just parked outside of our house,” she replied but didn’t stop moving on top of him.

“She wasn’t supposed to be here for another two to three weeks,” he stopped moving and gripped her hips, ready to move her off of him.

“What do you think you are doing?” She warned him.  
  
“We can continue this later. My sister is coming,” he said and tried to lift her off of him but she held on tight.

“So was I! I swear to God if you don’t make me come right now, I won’t have sex with you ever again,” she threatened while rolling her hips, desperately looking for release.

He chuckled and started thrusting into her again. “Like you could last a day without this,” he teased while she bounced happily on top of him, riding him faster.

“Just shut up and fuck me,” she breathed into his ear as his thrusts became harder and faster. “Yes! Just like that.”

They could hear the doorbell ringing but there was no way they were stopping now. They were both so close. She just needed a little pressure on her clit and as if he could read her mind his fingers found her swollen nub, rubbing it furiously while she rode him into the chaise. She was talking nonsense, telling him how amazing he felt and then she came with a silent cry of his name. He clenched his teeth, thrust into her one more time before spilling his seed into her. 

It took them a moment to catch their breaths before she dismounted him and dropped onto the chaise, her legs too wobbly to stand. Jennifer was now impatiently knocking on the door. 

“Your sister is very persistent,” Vic complained as he threw her clothes at her while putting on his own. “Hold on,” he stopped as she finally managed to stand up and walk over to him to fix his hair. “Good thing I didn’t leave any marks on you this time,” she joked and he grimaced.

“Sorry,” he replied as he touched her neck. “You should cover that up.”

“Dammit, Luke,” she cursed as they left the bedroom. He walked downstairs while she walked into her room to check her appearance. She looked thoroughly fucked like always and there was a small hickey in the crook of her neck. She cursed him again as she grabbed a polo shirt and some shorts and walked downstairs into the kitchen where she could hear their voices.

“There you are,” Jennifer said happily as she pulled her into a hug. Vic hoped that she couldn’t smell the sex on her. She really didn’t want Jennifer to know about them sleeping together. “What took you so long?” She asked and Vic had to think for a moment.

“Sorry, I was doing laundry,” she replied and Jennifer raised an eyebrow.

“You both were doing laundry,” she asked looking between them.

“I still don’t do his laundry.” “She still doesn’t do my laundry.” They replied at the same time and burst into laughter while Jennifer just shook her head.

“You two are such weirdos. How you are so much alike and still not together for real is beyond me.”

“Maybe that’s why we are not together because we are so much alike,” Vic shrugged before grabbing three mugs to fill them with coffee. 

“Not that we aren’t happy to see you but we didn’t expect you for another two weeks or so,” Luke said as they sat down at the table.

“Yeah, I managed to wrap everything up in L.A. sooner than I thought and I just couldn’t wait to come back home.”

“That’s amazing, Jen,” Vic smiled at her while squeezing her hand. “So, your new place is ready then?”

His sister grimaced and Vic couldn’t help but notice how much she looked like Luke when he did the same just a moment ago. “That’s the only thing not ready yet but I figured I could just stay here for the next three weeks until my apartment is ready. I mean you guys have the space, right?” They nodded.

 _So much for having sex every day,_ Vic thought as she sipped her coffee quietly.

* * *

  
Lucas Ripley loved his little sister more than anything else on the planet but right now he was annoyed with her for cockblocking him. The last couple of weeks with Vic had been the most satisfying and had made him more relaxed than he had ever been in his entire life and now he was grumpy because he couldn’t enjoy sex with her with his sister living with them for the time being. He knew that Vic felt the same since she spent the entire night ranting about it through text messages until she finally decided to go to sleep.

He was sitting in the kitchen, with coffee and newspaper, when his sister walked in.

“Morning, big brother,” she greeted happily. Lucas didn’t reply, just grunted. “Is everything okay?” She asked.

“Sure! Why wouldn’t it be?” He shrugged.

“Okay, now I know that it’s not,” she sat down next to him. “Did I do something to upset you?” That finally made him look up from his paper.

“What? Of course not!” He said defensively.

“Come on, Lucas. It’s me! You can tell me. Is it me living here with you guys for a few weeks? I can find somewhere else to stay if you want me to,” she offered and Lucas felt like shit.

“What? No! You are always welcome here,” he squeezed her hand and smiled at her. “Though a warning would have been nice,” she looked at him curiously. “So we could prepare everything, I mean,” he quickly added.

“Aha, is that the real reason?” She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Of course,” he replied with conviction.

“Alright. I will make sure to call next time. If there is a next time,” they chuckled. “So, how are things going with Vic? Any new developments?” She asked and Lucas choked on his coffee.

“What do you mean?” He asked between coughs.

“I mean have you finally admitted to her that you are head over heels in love with her?”

“I’m not!” He half-yelled, making her laugh. “Things are the same,” he lied.

She shook her head. “I mean there is still plenty of time left for the two of you to get your heads out of your asses and realize how much you mean to each other,” she stood up and started on breakfast when Vic walked into the kitchen and plopped down next to Lucas, grabbing his mug and drinking from it.

“Good morning,” he greeted and she looked adorable all grumpy like that without her morning sex.

“Don’t good morning me. It is not a good morning,” she complained.

“What happened, Vic?” Jennifer asked.

“I had a bad dream and didn’t sleep well,” she replied while still sipping his coffee.

“You know there is an entire pot of coffee right there,” he reminded her.

“Yeah but I like drinking yours,” she stuck her tongue out at him and drowned the rest of his coffee. He just shook his head at how ridiculous and cute she looked. If Jennifer hadn’t been in the room he would have fucked her right there on the table.

“Okay, you two quit flirting and tell me what you want for breakfast,” his sister interrupted their banter. “It’s the least I can do for you guys since you are letting me crash at your place.”

Vic glared at his sister which she ignored and turned back to the fridge to grab a few things while Vic got up to fill his mug with coffee and to pour herself her own.

“I’m in the mood for pancakes,” she said while sitting down next to him again and running her hand along his thigh, whispering, “amongst other things.''

“Lucas, what about you? What do you want?”

He took a deep breath as he felt Vic cup him through his sweatpants. There was no way he was able to answer.

“He’ll have the same. Thank you, Jen,” she smiled while stroking him until he finally grabbed her hand to stop her, glaring at her. Vic simply shrugged and let go of him.

“I’m gonna go and take a quick shower,” she announced and winked at him before leaving the room.

He just stared at her in disbelief, thinking about all the ways she was going to pay for this

“You okay there, big brother?” Jennifer asked with a concerned look.

“Um, sure. Pancakes sound fine,” he replied.

“I was asking if you’re okay and not if you wanted pancakes,” she furrowed her forehead while he nodded. “You sure? You look kinda flustered,” she gave him that knowing smirk.

“You better pay attention to our breakfast before you burn it,” he deflected.  

“At least I have two firefighters right here in case I should burn something down,” she joked, turning back to the stove while Lucas just shook his head and tried to relax, cursing Vic for her talented hands.

* * *

  
Vic walked back into the kitchen twenty minutes later to find the table set. He glared at her when she sat down opposite from him while she just smirked. 

“I think you may have to take a cold shower since I probably just used up all the hot water,” she joked while digging into her pancakes. “Oh damn, Jen those are awesome,” she stuffed her mouth with more food, looking like a chipmunk. 

“Happy to hear that,” she said while grabbing a pancake herself and taking a bite. “Hope you two enjoy breakfast and your day off. I will be at Maya’s,” she announced and left.

Vic looked at Luke with raised eyebrows, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. He was on her the moment the front door closed, kissing her neck, his hands gripping her waist.

“What you did before was not very nice,” he growled while his hands moved underneath her shirt, cupping her breasts, playing with her hard nipples by pulling and twisting them. Vic moaned against his ear which went straight to his cock. 

“I think I deserve to be punished,” she purred, knowing exactly what it did to him.

“Fuck, babe! You are going to be the death of me,” he groaned as he picked her up, her legs immediately wrapping around his waist, her crotch grinding against his. He walked them into the living room and dropped her onto the couch - they had so much sex on it that they decided to have a blanket covering it at all times.

He made quick work of her shirt and shorts and grinned when he realized that she wasn’t wearing any panties.

“You wanted to tease me,” he said and plunged two fingers into her without warning, stretching her and making her moan in delight when suddenly the door burst open.

They stopped dead in tracks, his fingers still inside of her.

“It’s just me. I forgot Maya’s present,” Jennifer yelled and Vic could hear her run upstairs. She kept quiet but then Luke had to press down on her clit with his thumb and she couldn’t stop the moan escaping her lips.

“That’s for before,” he smirked as he started pumping in and out and circling her clit.

“Do you really want your sister to find us like this?” she asked between clenched teeth, trying not to moan but it was getting harder with each stroke of his fingers.

She could hear Jennifer’s footsteps as she descended the stairs before leaving the house once more.

“Fuck, that was close,” she breathed out. “I hate you!”

He started thrusting into her a little bit harder, making her bounce in his arms. “I know you don’t. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m your favorite person right now,” his thumb rubbed her clit frantically. Vic was watching him through hooded eyes while biting her lip as he kept on fucking her with his fingers.

“You aren’t yet but you will be soon. I’m so close. Fuck me harder,” he obeyed instantly and then her pussy clenched hard around his fingers, hindering the fast movement and she screamed his name as she came. “Now you can consider yourself my favorite person,” she breathed into his ear before biting his earlobe.

He grinned down at her before pulling his fingers out and licking them clean, making Vic groan. She loved when he did that. 

“You should be on the menu every single day,” he smiled and dropped a kiss to her nose.

“We should probably go upstairs into your room,” she suggested.

They spent the rest of the day in bed before Jennifer came home and they all went to bed exhausted with Jennifer sporting a new hickey that wasn’t there before.

Vic almost walked into his room the next morning for her usual morning sex when she remembered that they still had a guest in their house, so instead she took a shower by herself and went to work rather frustrated. She hated people messing with her routine but at least work kept her somewhat distracted.

Later that night after she had all her chores done, she decided to go for a quick nap and found Luke in her bunk room, turned out that he hated it just as much as her that their routine was disturbed, so he came by to remedy that. They managed to get a round in before the klaxon went off and she had to leave. They ended up running into Maya on their way out who gave them a knowing, proud look but didn’t say anything and that was that for over a week.

He was so busy at work that every time she came by his office he was in a meeting. She was always on call so they couldn’t repeat their little tryst in her bunk room and Jennifer was just always there at home.

Vic was back in her sexually frustrated state which she realized was stupid considering how much sex they have had in the past couple of weeks but she was getting so used to having it on the daily that now she was just bitter about not getting it at all.

* * *

  
Jennifer had been with them for ten days now and Lucas was going out of his mind. The only silver lining was that Vic was too. At least he wasn’t suffering alone. 

Work had been terribly busy and he was barely at home which meant that he barely even got to see her and if he was honest with himself he missed Vic, not just the sex but her. He was missing her so much that he was actually looking forward to Seattle Fire Department’s Annual Softball Charity Game. He knew she was playing too, so at least he would get to see her and spend some time with her there.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon and Lucas was the umpire as usual. The teams were mixed and matched between all the stations and due to Vic playing, the other team was questioning his ability to stay impartial but after the first inning it was clear to everyone that Vic was definitely not getting preferential treatment from her husband.

They were in the fourth inning, Vic’s team was behind, and it was her turn to pitch. She wiggled her ass and Lucas couldn’t help but stare. It had been too long since he had properly touched her and she was so close. All he had to do was reach out and slap that fine ass of hers.

“Just keep wiggling that ass,” he suddenly heard. “I would love a piece of that,” it was the catcher that was crouching in front of him.

“Excuse me,” Vic dropped her bat and turned around to look at the guy.

“Oh come on, you are totally doing that on purpose,” he stood up and walked closer. “How about we disappear for a while after the game?”

“How about we don’t?” She countered, crossing her arms in front of her chest, glaring at him.

“Oh come on, don’t be like that. I know you want to,” he pressed and Lucas was ready to kill the guy but he knew that Vic could handle herself and would probably not be too happy with him if he interfered.

“Are you seriously coming onto me in front of the chief?” she asked and he shrugged.

“Like he cares. He got a fine piece of firefighter ass at home himself. I doubt that he minds.” He turned around and looked at Lucas. “Right, Chief?” Lucas saw red. 

Lucas took a deep breath and removed his umpire mask before stepping closer to him.

“That is no way to way to talk to a fellow firefighter and it’s no way to talk to a woman. She said no and that is that,” he said in a stern, somewhat threatening voice.

“That’s rich coming from you. You married a firefighter which I’m sure is against the rules. I just flirted a little bit.”

“And she turned you down,” Lucas replied.

“She is just playing hard to get,” he continued. Lucas was getting frustrated. What was it with some of the men these days who just didn’t understand the word “no”.

“Or maybe she’s just not interested. Have you considered that?” Lucas was staring him down.

“How would you know that?” Lucas sighed and clenched his fists.

“Because she said so and because I know my wife,” he finally said and watched as all the color drained from the rookies face.

“Y -- Your wife?” He stuttered. “I didn’t -- I didn’t realize that she was your wife. I’m really sorry, sir,” he apologized.

“First of all, I’m not the one you need to apologize to. Secondly, it doesn’t matter that she’s my wife, you don’t treat women like that period. When they say no it means no. Understood?” He nodded. “You are suspended,” Lucas started and the rookie wanted to protest but he didn’t let him, “and no it’s not for hitting on my wife but for sexually harassing a fellow firefighter. The Seattle Fire Department doesn’t stand for that kind of behavior. I will have you attend a Sexual Harassment Training in addition to your suspension. Is that clear?” he just nodded.

“Yes, Chief. I’m really sorry, sir,” he apologized again before turning around. “I’m really sorry, Mrs. Ripley,” he stuttered and Vic nodded unimpressed before glaring at Lucas and then she just stormed off the field. Lucas sighed because he really didn’t want to deal with an angry Vic.

“Everybody take five,” he screamed to his people before running after her. She was fast which wasn’t surprising, considering that she was fifteen years younger. He finally caught up with her in one of the locker rooms.

“Dammit, Vic! You can’t just run off in the middle of a game,” he yelled as she turned around and he could see the fire in her eyes. “I know you can fight your own battles but that guy had it coming,” he explained but she just stared at him. “I promise that I won’t interfere next time,” he shuddered at the thought of a next time and wondered how many times that had happened in the past. She sure would have told him about it. He would ask her later.

“Lock the door,” she finally spoke and he looked at her confused before it dawned on him. She wasn’t angry. She was aroused.

“Vic, we can’t. There are people waiting outside,” he tried to reason weakly but he knew that it was in vain.

“Well, then you will have to get me off quickly. We are not leaving here until you’ve fucked me. So, lock the damn door,” she repeated and he walked the short distance and turned the lock before stalking over to her and kissing her neck, his hands pulling at her shirt and pants while she unbuckled his belt and snuck her hand into his pants to grasp him. He groaned when she started stroking him. It didn’t take long to get him hard and she was already dripping wet when she turned around, pulled down her pants and presented her beautiful ass to him. He didn’t waste any time as he buried himself inside of her and started fucking her hard and fast. She was panting and moaning for him to fuck her harder and if he wasn’t so lost in his own pleasure he would have been worried about hurting her but he knew that she could take it, so he pounded her as hard as she liked until they moaned their names and came together, her pussy clenching around him while he spilled his seed into her.

“Fuck, I really needed that,” she panted when he pulled out and she sighed. 

“So did I,” he confessed and l kissed her neck. “We need to get back out there before someone comes looking for us and finds us like this,” he reminded her as she pulled up her pants and fixed her shirt and then fixed his clothes as well. “So I take it you are not mad that I stepped in?” He knew she wasn’t but he wanted to make sure.

“Mad? Are you kidding me? That was hot. You can suspend and fire people more often. It’s a major turn on,” she kissed his cheek, unlocked the door and left the room.

* * *

  
Jennifer watched her brother and Vic walk back onto the field. Vic had looked quite upset when she stormed off. Jennifer figured that she wasn’t too happy with her brother just butting in and standing up for her when she could do it on her own. She wasn’t sure if they were fighting or if they had made up. She hoped that they were okay. They have been acting somewhat weird the last couple of days and she wondered if that was because of her or if that had been going on before she had arrived.

“They are sleeping together,” Claire whispered into her ear making sure no one could hear them.

“What?” 

“Vic and Luke are sleeping together,” she repeated. Jennifer looked at her brother and Vic and back to Claire.

“Oh my God, I think you are right. They have been acting so strange lately and I couldn’t figure out why but that would actually make perfect sense,” she said. _Doing laundry, my ass,_ she thought.

“Yeah and you have been cockblocking them for the past couple of days,” she laughed while holding her slightly rounded belly.

“This explains why Lucas was so grumpy. Should I bring it up?” she wonders.

“No, I think we should keep it to ourselves like they have been. I think they have been doing it for a while. They thought they were being sneaky the other week when they came over for dinner but I could tell that something had changed. I’m surprised they lasted the entire dinner without tearing each other’s clothes off.”

“Do you think they just did it in the locker room?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure they did. They look more relaxed than before and I know Vic, she was probably turned on by Luke standing up for her like that,” Jennifer shuddered at the thought of someone being turned on by her big brother. She realized how weird it was to discuss his sex life with Claire so she dropped the topic and instead paid attention to the game.

Vic’s team including Robert, Maya and Travis lost but they didn’t seem too bothered by it. It was for charity after all.

“Great game,” Jennifer said as she hugged Maya while Claire kissed her husband.

“We lost,” Maya pouted and Jennifer had to laugh.

“I love how competitive you are,” she beamed at her. They were taking it slowly and hadn’t defined their relationship yet since Jennifer had been in L.A. this entire time. She was excited to see where this thing with Maya was going now that she was back in Seattle for good.

“It’s part of my charm,” she beamed back and gave her a peck on the lips.

“Keep in mind that this was for charity. Winning is not the most important thing here,” Lucas reminded them and they nodded. “So Vic and I were wondering if you guys wanted to come to our house to hang out?” He suddenly asked and Jennifer looked between them. 

“Oh yeah, totally,” Vic replied. It was obvious that they hadn’t talked about this but she knew where Lucas was going with that. If the house was full of people, no one would notice them slipping away. They were quite sneaky. Jennifer had to give them that.

“That sounds like a fun evening. Count me in,” Travis exclaimed while Andy, Dean and Jack nodded.

“What about you?” Jennifer asked Maya.

“Anything that gives me an excuse to hang out with you,” she grinned and kissed her cheek, making her blush.

* * *

  
They got into their cars - Lucas, Vic, Maya, Jennifer and Travis shared one while the Sullivans were together in theirs and Andy, Jack, Dean and someone named Ryan, who Jennifer hadn’t met before but seemed to be close with Andy, shared Jack’s car.

Jennifer, Maya and Travis were sitting in the back while Lucas was driving. Vic had her feet on the dashboard which first earned her a growl from Lucas to which she just shrugged and then ignored him.

“Can we put on some music?” Travis asked and Lucas nodded, turning on the radio.

“The next song is from Victor for the love of his life, Lucy. There might be a not so hidden message in this song. Can you tell which one it is?” the DJ joked and started the next song.

Vic couldn’t help but laugh at the names. It was her and Luke just gender-swapped. He seemed to have noticed it too and grinned at her.

“Turn up the volume, please. I love that song,” Maya squealed from the back as she started singing along. Vic giggled at her friends enthusiasm and turned up the volume, tapping her foot against the dashboard.

 _It's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do_  
_Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you_  
_Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice_  
_Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you_

Everyone was singing now, even Luke, and Vic enjoyed seeing him so carefree. She didn’t even realize that she was holding his hand but he didn’t seem to mind, so she just held onto it not really caring about Jennifer and Travis seeing it. The little number in the locker room was not nearly enough to satisfy her hunger for him so she would take any physical contact she could get.

 _Well I know this little chapel on the boulevard_  
_We can go_  
_No one will know_  
_Oh c'mon girl_

As Vic listened to the song, she was suddenly bombarded with flashbacks of a night she didn’t think she would ever remember because it had been so long but suddenly she could see things a whole lot clearer.

 _Who cares if we're trashed_  
_Got a pocket full of cash we can blow_  
_Shots of Patron_  
_And it's on girl_

She glanced at Luke and he didn’t look any different. It didn’t seem as if the song had triggered any memories for him.

 _Don't say no no no no no_  
_Just say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah_  
_And we'll go go go go go_  
_If you're ready, like I'm ready_

* * *

_  
They were happily sipping their cocktails and drowning one shot after another, getting quite drunk again. Vic had to admit that Lucas Ripley was nothing like she had expected. He was funny, kind and a real gentlemen. In addition, he was an attentive listener and just really handsome. She knew he was quite a bit older but that didn’t stop her from flirting with him. It didn’t stop her from wanting him to kiss her. It didn’t stop her from wanting him to fuck her._

_There were sitting really close, their fingers entwined and the tension between them was palpable since the almost kiss. They were quite drunk at this point and talking about their lives, sharing private and intimate things with each other._

_“You’re a really good listener,” she said and he smiled._

_“My ex-wives would disagree,” he replied and grimaced. She was sure he didn’t mean to share that part of himself with her._

_“Who would be stupid enough to divorce you,” she couldn’t stop the words coming out of her mouth as he chuckled._

_“I ain’t all that great. I’m a workaholic. I spend a lot of time at work and not enough at home,” he said regretfully. Vic lifted her hand, the one that wasn’t entwined with his, and touched his cheek._

_“Honestly, who isn’t these days? Those women didn’t deserve you,” she said even though she didn’t even know his ex-wives but Vic felt like he was such a good guy and they had to be in the wrong here._

_“That’s very nice of you to say but you would probably think differently if you were married to me,” he shrugged._

_“Maybe or maybe if we were married it would be different. I for one would understand why you love your job so much and why it’s important to you because I feel the same about mine,” her hand slid from his cheek down to his chest where she could feel his heart beating faster. “Plus, we are really hot. We would make the most gorgeous couple and you gotta admit our babies would have amazing hair,” she joked, making him laugh._

_“You know marriage is a lot of work. Both have to really be committed to make it work. I wasn’t with Celeste or Eva but marriage number three -- that I would take very seriously. I wouldn't be game unless I knew it was really right,” he confided and her breath hitched._

_She didn’t know why they were talking about marriage like it was an option for them when they have just met but somehow she felt like she knew him. Sometimes you just meet people you click with and Lucas was one of those people. She felt like she had known him her entire life._

_“Well, wife number three is one lucky lady,” she admitted and dropped her hand to his thigh. “Tell me something no one knows about Fire Chief Lucas Ripley, something that would surprise me.”_

_He thought for a moment. “I haven’t been with anyone in a while.”_

_“How long is a while?” She asked curiously. A guy as handsome as him must have had the ladies lined up, so she didn’t think “a while” was longer than a few months at best._

_“Two years,” he mumbled as she sipped her drink and almost choked on it, looking at him with wide eyes._

_“You are joking, right?” He chuckled and shook his head. “What’s wrong with you?” She almost screamed, making him laugh out loud, a sound that she wanted to hear more often. “I mean there must be something wrong if it’s been that long?”_

_“I told you, I’m a workaholic. I didn’t realize how long it has been because work has kept me busy. Even though my best friends wife Claire has tried setting me up for years. She thinks I should get out more often and find myself someone to settle down.”_

_“Why haven’t you?” He looked confused. “Settled down, I mean,” she clarified._

_“I guess I just haven’t found the right one yet. It’s not as simple as seeing someone and just walking over to talk to her.”_

_“And yet you came over to talk to me,” she reminded him._

_“Who said I wanted to talk to you?” He smirked._

_“Well, the bar was kinda empty and you chose the seat right next to me. You wouldn’t have unless you planned on hitting on me,” she said amused._

_“Guilty as charged,” he admitted. “And then you set me on fire,” he teased and she laughed. He will probably never let her live that down. “You know, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and that dress is just,” he sighed as he fixed the strap that had fallen off her shoulder, his fingers softly brushing against her skin. She closed her eyes and sighed at his touch._

_“Just wait until you see what’s underneath,” she wiggled her eyebrows. “I mean I’m not misreading this, right? This is where tonight is headed?” He nodded his head, making her giggle._

_“Do you want to dance?” He suddenly asked. Vic quickly drank the rest of her drink as did he before tugging at his hand that was still entwined with hers and pulling him onto the dance floor._

_“I feel like doing something crazy and spontaneous tonight,” he confessed as they danced._

“What’s the craziest thing we could do in Las Vegas right now?” She wondered and as if on cue, the DJ started playing Marry You by Bruno Mars.  
  
  
_It's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do_  
_Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you_  
_Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice_  
_Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you_

_  
They both laughed as he put his arms around her._

_“That’s a bit on the nose,” he snickered._

_“Or it’s a sign?” She winked. “I mean it wouldn’t be real anyway. It would be just for fun,” she shrugged._

_“True,” he pulled her closer as he started singing along._

_Who cares if we're trashed_  
_Got a pocket full of cash we can blow_  
_Shots of Patron_  
_And it's on girl_

_  
She knew it was the alcohol talking but in that very moment she couldn’t find one reason why this was a bad idea. She hugged him closer to her and sang into his ear._

  
_Don't say no no no no no_  
_Just say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah_  
_And we'll go go go go go_  
_If you're ready, like I'm ready_

_  
They danced and sang along to the song until he excused himself to use the restroom while Vic waited at the bar, ordering another drink._

_“Honey, that husband of yours is the hottest piece of ass in here,” one a the waiters said as he approached her. Vic grinned at him as she remembered that they were still wearing her friends wedding rings._

_“He really is,” she admitted as she looked around and realized that Lucas Ripley was indeed the hottest guy in the club and probably the oldest but that didn’t really matter._

_“Lucky you. I wish I could take him home with me,” the waiter smirked while mixing her drink._

_She laughed. “Sorry but he is all mine and I don’t like sharing.”_

_The waiter chuckled while handing her the cocktail she ordered. “I wouldn’t either, honey. Your kids will have amazing hair, by the way,” he winked while she paid and then he left to take care of the customers._

_Vic patiently sipped her drink and wondered what was taking him so long. What if he had changed his mind? What if he had realized that sleeping with one of his employees and “marrying” her was the wrong thing to do?_

_Her mind was put at ease when she felt familiar hands on her hips, pulling her back against his solid chest. She couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her. It wasn’t quite as long for her as it had been for him but it had been a few months since she’s had sex and she was missing it and she had the feeling that Lucas Ripley would blow her mind._

_“So you wanna do something stupid,” he whispered into her ear before brushing her hair aside to drop a kiss to her neck. Vic melted against him as his hands gripped her hips a little tighter._

_“Totally,” she moaned. He drank the rest of her cocktail, then grabbed her hand and they left._

* * *

  
They arrived at the house and Lucas parked and exited his car. The song had triggered memories from their night in Vegas specifically the events at the nightclub and Lucas was reminded of a voicemail he had left for his best friend while visiting the restroom.  


* * *

   
_Lucas entered the restroom and grabbed his phone, quickly dialing his best friend’s number. He knew it was late but he remembered that Sully was working, so it shouldn’t be a problem. The phone rang but instead of his best friend answering it went straight to voicemail._

_“Hey buddy, I was hoping to talk to you but I guess this will have to do. Do you believe in love at first sight?” He chuckled. “Stupid question! Of course you do, you saw Claire and knew right away that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her. I met this woman and she is the most intriguing person I have ever met and so gorgeous and funny. She is so easy to talk to and I haven’t had that in years. The only people I talk to these days are you, Claire and Frankel. I don’t know what it is about her but I feel like I can just open up to her and share things and it should be weird because she is a complete stranger but it feels so natural and organic. She gets me and I feel like I’ve known her for years. I think she feels the same. I don’t want this night to end. What am I gonna do? What if I don’t see her again after tonight? I know it’s stupid because I just met her but I think she might be the one...” he heard the beep and sighed before hanging up and putting his phone away. He splashed his face with some water before taking a deep breath and then walked back to Vic._

* * *

  
“I gotta talk to Sully. You guys can go ahead,” he told Vic and the others while pulling his best friend to the side. 

“What’s wrong?” Sully asked concerned.

Lucas watched as the front door closed and it was just him and his best friend now. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

“Tell you what?” Lucas sighed. Was he playing dumb on purpose?

“The voicemail I left you while I was in Vegas,” he clarified as Sully sighed and rubbed his head.

“I didn’t know about that until a couple of weeks ago,” he answered which didn’t make any sense to Lucas. 

“Vic and I have been married for almost five months, so how can you have only known about the voicemail for a couple of weeks?” his hands were on his hips as he demanded an answer.

“Because you didn’t call me, okay?” he finally said. “You called Frankel.”

Lucas’ mouth dropped at that. “I did what?”

“You called Frankel and not me,” he started. “I knew something was wrong when you told me the story of how she forced you into staying married, so I tried talking to her and man, that woman is hard to get a hold of,” he sighed and continued, “but I eventually did manage to talk to her and she played me your voicemail and explained why she did what she did. She also admitted that she never intended on outing you two if you had chosen to get divorced right away,” Sully recounted.

“But she said she would. That doesn’t make any sense,” Lucas rubbed his beard. 

“She said that she saw you two at the barbecue while Vic bandaged your arm and she didn’t think much of it at that time though she thought that you two looked a little bit too comfortable for her taste.” Lucas rolled his eyes at that. “Then she found the divorce papers and saw Vic’s name on it and just put two and two together. She realized that she was the woman you were talking about in the voicemail and then threatened to expose you two which she never intended to actually do.”

“That doesn’t make sense. She acted surprised when she found those papers,” he countered.

“Well, she was surprised at first before putting it all together and she couldn’t just tell you why she was doing it.”

“Why did she do it?” Lucas wanted to know.

“Because she had a feeling you two would choose to stay married because there was something there and she was right because apparently we can all see it.”

“That doesn’t sound like her. She would never be okay with me dating a fellow firefighter let alone be married to one.”

“Well, you sounded very smitten when you talked about Vic on the phone and if Frankel saw what I saw that day at the barbecue then I’m not surprised that she did what she did. She may be all about work but she is your friend after all and your happiness is important to her. She said so herself,” Sully explained.

“So if Vic and I had decided to not go through with it then...”

“Then you two would probably be divorced by now,” Sully finished. “And wondering what would have been,” he added quietly, making Lucas roll his eyes at him. 

“Vic is going to hate me when she finds out about this. She didn’t have to stay married to me. This will ruin everything,” Lucas started panicking.

“Are you for real right now? I mean we are talking about the same Victoria Hughes here, right? Se doesn’t strike me as the kind of person to just do something that she doesn’t want to do. She agreed to this because she is just as in love with you as you are with her.”

“I’m not in love with her,” he protested weakly and he knew that Sully didn’t believe him. He wouldn’t believe him. “And Vic definitely wasn’t in love back then. That was only five weeks in.”

“Okay, maybe she wasn’t in love but she felt something for you. Isn’t that what you said in the voicemail? That you two talked and clicked and it was like you have known each other forever?”

“I was drunk that night. I didn’t know what I was saying.” Lucas lied. He knew what he felt for Vic was love but he wasn’t sure that she felt the same way even with the memory of them talking about marriage at that club in Vegas he still wasn’t sure that what she felt for him was more than lust. He wondered if the song had triggered any memories for her as well and how much she remembered. He still didn’t know how they made it to the chapel and what happened during the ceremony. He still didn’t remember their first kiss even though he had seen it and it drove him crazy. He wanted to know what it was like to kiss her but they had their rule and he would probably never know.

“Luke, you are my best friend and I have known you for a very long time. You have feelings for your wife which sounds ridiculous,” he chuckled. “I know you do and I think she feels the same way about. You just gotta talk to her.”

“That’s not so easy,” Lucas sighed.

“It never is,” Sully shrugged before pulling him into a hug. “I just want you to be happy.” 

“Thank you, Sully,” he patted him on the back before letting go of him.

“So how long have you two been sleeping together?” He suddenly asked.

Lucas laughed. “Did you figure that out all on your own or did Claire?” He teased and they both looked at each other.

“Claire!” They said in unison and laughed.

“And I thought you didn’t want to complicate things,” Sully gave him a knowing look.

“Well, she had a really good... argument...”

“I bet she did,” his friend mumbled. 

Lucas ignored him and continued, “...and she was wearing my old crew shirt with nothing underneath when I came home,” Sully laughed and shook his head. ”How does one resist that? And it’s been the best couple of weeks until Jennifer came along and cockblocked me. My own sister,” he laughed at how ridiculous that sounded.

“Well if you two would just admit to each other and everyone else that this marriage is real you could have all the sex you want. Preferably not when Bobby Jr. is around. I don’t need him traumatized that early in his life,” he joked as they walked into the house.

* * *

  
Vic was sitting on the piano bench talking to Claire when they walked into the house. Was she supposed to bring up the parts she remembered? Did Luke even remember any of it? What was she supposed to tell him if he didn’t remember?

She watched Sully sit down on the couch beside his wife, kissing her temple while his arm snaked around her waist to put his hand on top of hers on her growing bump while Luke stood somewhat awkwardly next to her.

“Is everything okay?” She looked up at him as he nodded but didn’t look at her. “Are you sure?”

He finally looked at her and smiled. “Yeah, just a bit tired,” he replied and sighed before sitting down behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Vic melted against him, not caring who saw it. She told herself that out of the ten people currently in their living room only four knew the truth and it was important to keep up appearances but really she just enjoyed being in his arms. She couldn’t help but blush as she remembered what they did the last time they sat on that piano bench and she squirmed in his arms.

“Are you okay?” Andy asked and Vic just nodded not trusting herself to speak. “You look kinda flushed.”

“You’d be too if you had a handsome husband pressed against you like that,” Claire winked, making her blush even more.

“And what am I? Chopped liver,” Sully responded, making everyone laugh as Claire turned around to give him a quick kiss.

“I love you, baby,” she replied, smiling at him before turning back to look at Vic.

“You should have seen them the other day when they walked out of her bunk room,” Maya said dryly. “I’m surprised that we haven’t caught them before. How many times have you done it at the station?” She asked while Vic and Luke blushed furiously at the revelation. 

“Nothing happened in the bunk room. I was at the station to drop off some papers and just wanted to say hello,” Luke replied and Vic knew that no one would believe him.

“Yeah right and that’s why you two were fixing your hair and clothes when you came out,” she exposed them and Vic wanted her so badly to shut up.

“You can’t blame them. They probably didn’t feel comfortable doing it at home with me here,” Jennifer teased and laughed as Luke buried his face in the crook of her neck. “No need to be embarrassed big brother. Your wife is hot,” she admitted and Maya nodded in agreement.

“Okay, are we done talking about our sex life then?” Everyone stared at Vic in shock. “Good. How about Dean makes us some of his famous margaritas and we just enjoy the rest of the evening before I throw you guys out? Sounds like a plan?” They all nodded somewhat scared.

Travis opened his mouth to say something but Vic put her finger up to stop him. “Not a word,” she warned him. He pouted, then sighed and turned back to Jack and continued their conversation.

The rest of the evening went by in a flash and their guests soon left, leaving only the Ripleys to clean up. Luke was doing the dishes in the kitchen while Jennifer and Vic were taking care of the living room. 

“Don’t say a word,” Vic warned her.

“I wasn’t going to,” she replied. Vic knew she was desperate to say something.   

“So we are sleeping together. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just out of convenience because we were both sexually frustrated,” Vic lied.

“I really don’t need to hear about my brothers sex life,” she told her and returned to the task at hand.

“But you don’t believe me,” Vic complained.

“Why does it matter if I believe you or not?”

Vic shrugged. “It doesn’t. I just don’t want you to think this means anything.”

“Lucas and you are grown ups and I’m sure you two know what you are doing. I won’t get involved. I just like teasing you two and if this turns into more I will be happy for you both,” she replied.

Vic sighed because she wasn’t sure anymore what she was doing. She wasn’t sure what she felt and most of all she wasn’t sure what Luke felt.

* * *

  
Lucas had not talked to Vic because he just didn’t know what to say to her. Was he supposed to leave out the part about the voicemail and Frankel or was he supposed to be completely honest? He didn’t like keeping things from her but he was scared of her reaction to it. What if she wanted nothing to do with him if he told her? This was such a mess.

He was brought back to reality when he heard a click and looked up to find Vic standing in his room, fidgeting with her fingers.

“I -- I couldn’t sleep and I just...” she paused as he lifted the sheets for her to join him. She hesitated for a moment but then smiled and snuggled into bed with him, rubbing her cold feet against his calves. 

He hissed. “Damn, your feet are freezing,” he complained.

“Well, you're the furnace here. You can warm me up,” she suggested while wiggling her eyebrows. Lucas groaned and gripped her hips. “Unless you don’t want to. In that case I can just leave,” she said, getting ready to leave.

“No, I want you, Vic. I always want you.” he told her while tugging at her shirt. She quickly removed it, throwing it into the room while he removed his underwear, letting it drop onto the floor. 

He could sense that things were different and he wondered if maybe she did remember just didn’t say anything like him. Maybe she was scared of what this all meant just like him. He knew that things were different because that night they didn’t fuck, they made love whether they wanted to admit it or not. It wasn’t about pleasure but about being connected. That night they also broke one of their rules because she didn’t leave his bedroom right after but instead snuggled into his chest and fell asleep. He looked at her sleeping form and smiled. He knew that at some point he would have to talk to her but they still had time for that, so instead he just kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to him before drifting off to sleep himself. 


	16. Playing House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas spend some quality time with his godson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is mentions of stillbirth and a child dying during Vic's call.
> 
> Also, sorry for taking so long to update. Work was keeping me busy but I'm on vacation now and will try to update more often now that I have some time. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. There is fluff for the most part with the exception of the things mentioned above.
> 
> I had other plans for this chapter but I'm leaving those for the next chapter instead.

Vic woke up the next day in Luke’s arm, feeling him hard against her ass and it felt like that day in the tent only better because they were both awake and neither was pretending to be asleep. She turned to lie on her stomach as he peppered her back with kisses while one hand moved between her legs to get her wet and ready for him, the other massaging her ass. Vic moaned as she felt him move on top of her. She loved doing it in this position and was so ready for him but the moment was ruined when his phone rang.

“Just let it go to voicemail!” She purred but he was already moving off of her and grabbing his phone. She looked at him somewhat disappointed and surprised.

“I’m sorry! I have to take this. It’s important. I will see you downstairs for breakfast,” he said and kissed her shoulder. 

She got out of bed, put her shirt on and left his room, wondering what that was all about. What could be more important than being with her?

“Morning,” she heard as she closed the door and looked up to see Jennifer.

“Hey,” she replied sadly.

“Not that I want to think about my brothers sex life but shouldn’t you walk out of his room happier and more satisfied?”

“His phone rang and interrupted us and he basically threw me out because the phone call was more important,” she sighed.

“Oh, that sucks,” Vic nodded as Jennifer put an arm around her. “Come on, let’s make some breakfast. I’m hungry,” Vic’s stomach chose that moment to growl and they both laughed, “and apparently so are you. For more than just my brother,” she teased, making her chuckle.

 Vic and Jennifer were in the middle of cooking when Luke walked in, already showered and dressed, ready to go to work.

“I gotta run. You two have a great day at work,” he kissed his sisters cheek, “see you tonight,” then kissed Vic’s cheek, “see you tomorrow,” and then he was out the door.

“What was that?” Jennifer wondered and Vic shrugged. Whoever called this morning it must have been really important. She was annoyed that it meant no sex for her today especially after the amazing sex they had last night. She was hoping for a repeat.

Vic left shortly after him and went to work where she found Travis in the day room lying on the couch.

“Hey Trav, what’s up?” She asked as she picked up his legs, sat down and put them back down on her lap. Travis just grunted at her. “What’s the matter?”

“Am I still your best friend?” He asked, shocking her.

“What? Where is this coming from? Of course you are. Why would you even ask that?”

He sat up and turned to look at her.

“Because you’ve been keeping things from me. We barely talk or see each other anymore because you are with Ripley most of the time and as it turns out you two are sleeping together and you didn’t even bother to tell me.”

“To be fair, we didn’t tell anyone because frankly it’s nobody's business and I didn’t want to have to explain it to you,” she sighed.

“So what does it all mean?” He asked.

“See, that’s why I didn’t say anything. I have no idea what it means. I have no idea what I feel exactly and I have no idea where this is going but I wanna figure it out on my own. I don’t need anyone else telling me what I feel or what I should do,” she defended herself.

“Look, I know I have been overly excited about the two of you but only because I think you two are actually perfect for each other but I would never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. All I want is for you to be open to it and to be happy,” he hugged her and Vic smiled into his shoulder before letting go of him.

“I know and I love you for that. I just wanna do this on my terms and no one else’s.”

“I understand and I will try to be less enthusiastic,” they both chuckled. “But just so we’re clear, you do have feelings for him, right?” Vic rolled her eyes but nodded. “Also, I gotta ask. How is the sex? Better than in Vegas?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

Vic beamed at him. “Yes, so much better because we are both sober and aware of what’s happening. Last night was amazing. It felt so different.”

“Different how?” He wondered. Vic contemplated whether she should tell him but he was right, he was her best friend and she barely talked to him anymore.

“I remembered some more stuff from our wedding night. We were at this nightclub called Fire & Spice,” she started and Travis chuckled, saying how fitting the name was. “And we connected in a way I haven’t connected to anyone before which I mean should have been weird because he is my boss and older than me but there was a spark and chemistry and I think he remembered too.”

“Wait, you didn’t tell him that you remembered?” Vic shook her head. “But why?”

“A part of me was scared, I guess. I mean, what does it mean when two people that have just met each other, who are also incredibly wasted, talk about marriage with each other and then decide to get married for fun because of a song.”

“Marry you?” Travis wonders and Vic nods. “Oh wow!”

“Yeah, we were dancing and talked about doing something stupid and the song came on and it was like a sign. Of course we thought it would be for fun and not official.”

“Still wow that you would even consider something like marriage. I mean what did you two talk about?”

“Everything,” she shrugged. “We just opened up to each other about our personal lives and just bonded and clicked. I don’t think either wanted the night to end. He also confessed that he hadn’t been with a woman in a long time. Like a really long time. Not that I could tell from our night together because damn, that man knows how to please a woman,” Vic blushed a little bit.

“I’m kinda jealous right now,” Travis joked, making Vic laugh.

“We gotta set you up with some hottie. Maybe focus on your love life for a change.” Vic suggested.

“Unlike you, I wouldn’t mind people meddling in my love life. I may get laid once in a while if someone meddled,” he groaned while Vic shook her head.

The klaxon went off, interrupting their conversation and Vic jumped up. “Come on, Romeo. We can talk about you getting laid on the way to our patients,” she teased and helped him up from the couch.

“Okay. Maybe we can go out tomorrow night?” He suggested and Vic nodded even though she planned on having her wicked way with her hubby since she couldn’t this morning but she knew that Travis needed her.

“Sure. Sounds like a plan,” she smiled as they got into the aid car and pulled out of the barn.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas entered his office and waited for Frankel. He had texted her the night before, telling her he needed to talk. He didn’t expect her to call him in the morning, interrupting his sexy time with Vic which he was very upset about but he needed to talk to her. He didn’t go into detail over the phone and just told her that he needed her to come into his office in the morning, not caring that it was her day off.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” he said and Frankel walked in.

“Before you start yelling at me,” she started.

Lucas interrupted her. “Sit down!”

“Luke...” she started again but he stopped her again by putting up his hand. She sighed and sat down.

“I’m talking now,” he sighed. “How could you keep something like this from me? How could you do this to Vic? You forced her into staying married to me just because you assumed something.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t give me that bullshit. I didn’t assume anything. You called her  _ the one _ ,” she defended herself.

“I was drunk,” he countered.

“Like that makes a difference in your case. You would have just let her walk away from you and admit it you’re in love with her and glad that you two are still together.”

“It doesn’t matter because I will never know what choice she would have made if she actually had a choice and that’s all thanks to you,” he half-yelled as she hung her head in shame. “I don’t understand how you could do that.”

“Because in all this time I’ve known you I’ve never heard you talk about a woman the way you talked about Hughes and that was only after spending a few hours with her. You have been lonely for a long time and then I saw you two at the barbecue and I didn’t think much of it. I figured it was just a harmless crush with the way she looked at you. I didn’t realize that she was the one you were talking about in the voicemail until I saw her name on the divorce papers and it started to make sense,” she explained.

“You had no right,” he sighed and rubbed his beard.

“I know but I did it with the best intentions. I didn’t do it to hurt you or her and I’m sorry for messing with your relationship but you’ve never been happier than in those last few months you’ve been with her and you can’t deny that. And the same goes for her. I may not know her like I know you but she looks happier than before she got with you.”

“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a romantic,” he joked.

“Well, you wouldn’t have done anything. I figured I’d give you two a push in the right direction.”

“The next time just tell the truth,” he reminded her and she nodded.

“So, are we okay or do I need to start looking for a new job?” He chuckled and shook his head.

“We are okay. Just don’t do something like that again,” she nodded again. “You’re dismissed.” 

She left his office and he went back to work or at least he tried to but he couldn’t stop thinking about Vic and the last couple of months with her. Frankel was right, he would have walked away from her all those months ago and wouldn’t have looked back. He wondered if he had remembered their night in Vegas without her in his life? What if they had divorced and he would have stayed clueless about their night? Would he have still felt something towards her when seeing her during a call or while visiting her station? Did they only develop feelings for each other over the last few months because they were stuck together or was it real?

Lucas was more confused than ever.   
  


* * *

  
Vic’s shift turned into the shift from hell. She went to breakfast with Travis afterwards to go through their day and just talk it out before going home. Travis and her had agreed to go out another time. Neither was in the mood for dancing and drinking after the day they had.

Vic was lying on the couch when she heard the front door open. It was early afternoon, so she assumed that it was Jennifer and was surprised when she found Luke standing in front of her.

“What are you doing home so early?” She wondered.

“I figured you shouldn’t be alone,” he said as he settled beside her, taking her into his arms. Vic couldn’t help but cry into his shirt as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

“It was terrible. I mean it wasn’t the first time we lost a kid but this time I saw it happen. We were about to go in and I could see her through the window surrounded by flames and then suddenly the roof caved in and she was buried underneath it all,” she was sobbing and holding on to him like her life depended on it. “The worst part of it wasn’t even that I saw it myself but that her mother who was standing right behind me, saw it too and I will never forget the sound she made when she watched her little girl being buried alive. I swear that if it hadn’t been for her other two kids she would have just given up on life right there in front of us. She was just so heartbroken and it was the most horrible thing I have ever seen on this job.” 

Vic looked up at him while he brushed away some of the tears. 

“I don’t know what it’s like but it must be the most devastating thing to lose a child especially the way she did,” she sobbed while he nodded. There was something in his eyes when she said that and she couldn’t help but ask.  “Did you?” She wondered and he nodded again.

“I told you that Celeste and I were too young for kids and we were but it happened anyway and we were happy about it and then one day, I think it was week twenty-three, she couldn’t feel the baby move anymore and when we went to the doctor, he told us that the baby had died. Celeste had to give birth to our little boy and it was just awful. It changed us both. Then my parents died and Jennifer moved in with us and Celeste couldn’t handle it. We stayed together a little while longer but I think deep down I knew that we were heading for a divorce and then one day she told me that she couldn’t do it anymore and our marriage was over,” he was crying when he finished the story and Vic hugged him tighter. 

“I’m really sorry, Luke,” she kissed his forehead and snuggled into him and they fell asleep in each others arms.

When they woke up again a few hours later, a blanket was covering them and she could smell delicious food.

“Thank you for listening and for coming home early. I really needed you,” she admitted and he smiled while caressing her cheek.

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m always here for you,” she smiled back. “Thank you for being there for me too.”

“Always,” Vic replied before kissing his nose, making him chuckle.

“Ah, perfect timing,” Jennifer startled them. “Dinner is served,” she told them and disappeared inside the kitchen again.

The rest of the evening was spent talking and trying to put the horrible events of her shift behind her and she was glad for Luke and Jennifer for being there for her. 

She really didn’t know what she would do without them. They had become such a big part of her life. She couldn’t really imagine it with them in it anymore.  
  


* * *

  
It’s been a week since the incident with the little girl and Vic was finally feeling like herself again. Jennifer had moved into her own apartment, so it was just him and her in that big house and ever since he had confided in her about the son he had lost, they had gotten even closer. 

It was both their day off and they were cuddling on the couch, his arms wrapped around her waist and he loved how perfectly her body molded into his like they were made for each other.

His phone rang and he grabbed it and put it on speakerphone.

“Hey Claire,” they said in unison.

“Oh, hey guys. I didn’t know you were both at home. I didn’t mean to interrupt your day off,” she apologized.

“Don’t worry about it,” Vic said. “What can we do for you?”

“I’m stuck at this appointment and Bobby Jr. needs to be picked up from school in about forty-five minutes. Robert is still at work for another two hours, so I was wondering if you guys could pick him up and bring him home?”

Vic turned her head to look at him and smiled. 

“Sure. We’ll be on our way,” he told Claire.

“I’ll do you one better,” Vic started and Luke looked at her curiously. “We will go get Bobby Jr. and bring him to our place. You go home after your appointment and just relax and enjoy your afternoon, maybe have some afternoon delight,” she winked at him, “with your hubby when he comes home and then come by around seven for dinner with us.”

“I couldn’t possibly ask you guys to do that?”

“Well, good thing you didn’t ask but we offered.”

“Is Luke okay with all that?” Claire asked.

He smiled. “Of course I am. You know I love that boy. I love spending time with him.”

“Plus, he really has no say in the matter,” Vic teased as he rolled his eyes.

“Thank you so much. You guys are lifesavers. I gotta go now. See you guys at seven. Thanks again,” she said before hanging up.

“We should get dressed. I doubt your godson would want us to pick him up from school in our underwear,” she said while getting ready to get up from the couch but he pulled her back down.

“How about a quickie?” He asked as his hand slipped into her panties and his fingers started rubbing at her clit. 

“We will be late,” she moaned as she wiggled her ass against his crotch, feeling him stir to life.

“I can put on the sirens to get there faster. Bobby Jr. would love that. It will make him the coolest kid in school,” he groaned while she pulled down her panties, feeling him do the same with his boxer shorts.

“That’s definitely abuse of power, Chief Ripley,” she purred as she felt him hard between her buttcheeks, teasing her folds.

“I guess that makes me a bad boy, Mrs. Ripley. I think I need to be punished,” he whispered into her ear while slowly sinking into her.

“I’ll punish you later, I promise. Right now, I need you to fuck me hard and fast so we are not late,” he grabbed her hips and started pounding into her. “Oh fuck, yes. Just like that,” she yelled and moaned as he fucked her just the way she liked.

“I love how snug you are in this position,” her inner walls squeezed his cock as he pistoned in and out of her. It didn’t take long as they came together.

They quickly dressed before leaving their house to pick up the little guy.

Just as he had told her, he put on the sirens so they wouldn’t be late. When they arrived at the school, Bobby Jr. started jumping up and down, telling everyone that his Uncle Lucas, the Fire Chief was picking him up and Lucas laughed when everyone high-fived his godson.

“You just made him the most popular kid in school,” she beamed at him and Lucas’ heart skipped a beat as he stared at her, her hair was up in a messy bun, not a trace of make-up on her face and she was wearing one of his shirts. If they hadn’t been in front of the school he would have totally fucked her in his work car right then and there. “Earth to Luke, did you just hear any word I said?”

“What?” She laughed and shook her head as Bobby Jr. entered the car and made himself comfortable in the backseat.

“Uncle Lucas, this is the coolest thing. Can you pick me up from school every day?” He chuckled at his godson’s excitement. 

“I wish I could, buddy, but today is an exception,” the kid pouted. 

“What are you guys doing here, anyway? Where is my mom?”

“Your mom’s appointment was running late and she asked us to pick you up,” Vic explained and he smiled. “Also, you will be spending the day with us,” his little eyes lit up. “Do you like that?” He nodded and Vic laughed. “Perfect. We are going grocery shopping and then we are going back to our place and you can help me make chocolate chip cookies.”

“Can we make peanut butter cookies instead? I love peanut butter,” he asked excitedly and Vic laughed again and nodded her head. Lucas enjoyed watching them together. He knew Vic would make a great mother someday and he couldn’t help but hope it would be their kids. 

“Put on your seat belt, buddy,” he told him as they drove off to the supermarket.  
  


* * *

  
Vic watched Luke race around the supermarket with Bobby Jr. standing on the shopping cart, both laughing and enjoying being silly.

“Your husband is an amazing dad,” Vic heard someone say and turned to find an old lady standing next to her watching “her” boys and she was ready to correct her but instead just said thank you. “It’s such a beautiful boy but I’m not surprised. You and your husband are very good looking. You two should definitely have more kids,” she told her and walked away.

Vic smiled and continued watching Luke with his godson and she loved that side of him. She knew that he would be an amazing dad someday and she couldn’t help but wonder what their kids would look like. Would they have her eyes or his or a mix of both maybe? She would definitely love a little girl with his blue eyes and her curls and a boy with blonde curls like his dad and her brown eyes. Vic had never really thought much about kids because she never thought she would find someone who she thought would be a good father and who she even wanted to have children with but she could imagine them with Luke and she couldn’t help but wonder if that thought had ever crossed his mind too.

“Vic, are you okay?” She heard him and shook herself out of her fantasy.

“Yeah, of course. Sorry I was just thinking,” he smiled at her and put an arm around her and kissed her cheek.

“The little guy wanted to know if we need anything for the cookies?”

“Oh yeah, we need a bunch of stuff. Let’s go get it and then we can go home,” she said as she wrapped an arm around his waist.

They bought everything they needed and drove back home. The boys put away the groceries while Vic grabbed the ingredients she needed for the cookies. 

She handed Bobby Jr. an apron while putting one on herself and started explaining how to make cookies from scratch. 

“Do people even make cookies from scratch anymore?” He wondered and vic laughed. 

“Most people just by them.” 

“But you make them yourself which is really cool. Who taught you?”

“My mom taught me,” she smiled fondly. 

“Where is your mom?” He asked and Vic’s smile turned sad. 

“My parents died a couple of years ago.”

“Do you miss them?” Vic could feel her eyes water.

“I do but when I bake I feel really close to my mom. Like she is here with me.”

“Do you want me to hug you?” He asked and Vic couldn’t help but smile at him and nodded her head as he wrapped his tiny arms around her and hugged her. She looked at Luke who walked over to where they were standing and joined in the hugging, kissing her forehead before letting go again.

“Okay, enough of this. Let’s get started. First thing we need to do is wash our hands,” she said as they washed their hands. “Then we need to preheat the oven to 375 degrees.” She watched Luke do it and smiled at him. “Looks like Uncle Lucas wants to help us,” she teased as he shook his head and sat back down to watch them. “Now we measure all the ingredients and then we need a small bowl to stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder,” she watched him stir the ingredients together. “Okay, perfect. Now set that aside and take the larger bowl. Now we’re going to mix the butter with the sugars and peanut butter until it’s smooth. Then we beat in the egg,” she nodded as he did as she told him and grabbed the dry ingredients. 

“What now?” He beamed at her. Vic’s heart skipped a beat when she looked at his cute little face.

“Now we blend in the dry ingredients and then we roll the dough into little balls and place them onto ungreased cookie sheets.”

“That’s it?” Vic nodded. “Why don’t people always make them from scratch. It’s so easy.” the adults laughed.

“I’ve wondered that myself,” she said as she started to form little balls. “Hey Chief, wanna get your hands dirty?” She asked, making him chuckle.

“Maybe later,” he winked, making her blush.

“Are you two going to have kids?” Bobby Jr. suddenly asked. 

“Where is that coming from?” Vic wondered.

“It’s just that you two love each other and when people love each other they make babies and your babies would be really lucky because I think you will be awesome parents,” he explained and Vic stared at Luke and smiled while he just nodded.

“Your aunt and I just got married a few months ago. It’s a little too soon for babies,” he told him.

“Maybe for her because she is still young but you are quite old,” he said bluntly and Vic couldn’t help but laugh. She watched as he stood up from the chair and walked over to her.

“Oh, so you agree with him about that?” He started tickling her. “I didn’t hear you complain about it before,” he whispered into her ear and she blushed again.

“Stop it, Luke. We need to finish this up,” she laughed and tried pushing him away but he wouldn’t let go of her. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, his solid body pressed into her back and Vic just melted against him because she really didn’t want him to move away from her. It was like when they were lying on the couch. She loved being surrounded by him like this.

“I guess you will just have to work with me attached to you like this,” he teased as he pressed a kiss to her neck when his phone started ringing.

“Looks like you will have to let go of me after all,” she joked as he let go of her and she immediately missed his arms and warmth.

“It’s Claire,” he said and put her on speakerphone and went back to Vic, wrapping his arms around her again, nibbling on her ear, making her weak in the knees.

“Hey mom, guess what we are doing?” He started but didn’t let her answer. “We are baking cookies. Aunt Vic showed me how to make them from scratch. It’s so easy, mom. We gotta bake together next time. I’m having so much fun with Uncle Lucas and Aunt Vic,”  he was talking a mile a minute and his mother laughed over the phone.

“I’m glad you are having so much fun. I take it you don’t mind staying over a little bit longer then?”

“Not at all,” he beamed.

“Great! Daddy and I will come by around seven for dinner. Be good to your uncle and aunt. I don’t wanna hear any complaints from them,” she reminded her son.

“He is being a perfect little angel,” Vic said.

“Are you sure you got the right kid? My son is no angel,” Claire teased, making everyone laugh but her son who just pouted. “He is pouting, isn’t he?” 

“Oh yes, big time,” the adults laughed.

“Okay, thanks again guys for watching him. I didn’t realize how much I needed a time out.”

“You are welcome,” they said in unison.

“Bye, sweetheart. See you later.”

“Bye, mom,” he said as Claire hung up. “Can we put the cookies in the oven now?”

“Sure. We leave them in there for about ten minutes.”

“Awesome!” He exclaimed.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” she said but he shook his head.

“I can do it myself,” he replied and ran off into the bathroom.

Vic laughed and turned in Luke’s arms. “He is a great kid,” she smiled at him.

“He really is and you were amazing with him,” he took one of her hands and licked some of the dough off her finger. “You taste really good,” he told her as he licked another finger.

“That’s the dough and you really shouldn’t eat raw cookie dough.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s you and not the cookie dough,” he grinned and kissed her neck, making her giggle.

“You two are worse than mom and dad,” they pulled apart as they heard Bobby Jr. re-enter the kitchen. “But I guess it’s okay since you are still newlyweds,” he shrugged and looked into the oven. “How much longer?”

Vic laughed. “A few more minutes but we have to let them cool afterwards. How about you and Uncle Lucas go play in the backyard and I will bring out the cookies once they are done?” He nodded enthusiastically.  

“Can you also bring milk with the cookies?”

“Is there any other way to eat cookies?” He shook his head.

“I wasn’t done tasting you,” he protested quietly, so the kid wouldn’t hear him, making her shiver in anticipation.

“You can taste me all you want tonight,” she wiggled her eyebrows before pushing him away. He finally let go of her and left the kitchen.

Vic smiled as she watched them walk outside. She poured herself some coffee and waited for the cookies to be done baking before removing them from the oven and putting them on a cooling rack while cleaning up the kitchen.

She prepared two mugs of coffee for herself and Luke, one mug of milk for the little one and filled a plate with delicious cookies. She put it all on a tray and walked outside into the backyard and watched them play for a while. It was a beautiful sight but once Bobby Jr. saw her with the tray of cookies, he dropped the ball and run towards her, grabbing a cookie and munching on it. 

“Careful!” She said as she put the tray down on the table.

Luke followed him and snatched a cookie himself before plopping down on the little bench. He grabbed Vic by the waist and pulled her down onto his lap. Vic immediately leaned into his embrace, feeling safe and content in his arms.

“I think these are my favorites,” he told her as she watched Bobby Jr. go for another cookie.

“Do you like them?” She asked and he nodded. “I packed the rest of the cookies so you can take them with you to school tomorrow,” he shook his head.

“I ain’t sharing them. They are all mine,” he mumbled with his mouth full as the adults laughed.

“But don’t you want to share them with your friends?” He just shook her head and stuffed his mouth with another cookie. “You should slow down. There are plenty of cookies left. No one’s gonna take them from you.”

“You can’t blame me. They are so good.”

“Only because you helped me make them,” Vic told him as she watched Luke take another one and feed her with it.  
  


* * *

  
Claire was exhausted when she came home. Being pregnant in your forties wasn’t quite as easy as being pregnant in your thirties, she had realized. She went upstairs and just fell into bed. Her appointment had taken longer than she thought and she was grateful that Vic and Luke had taken her son with them. She really needed the time out. She sighed when she heard the front door open. A moment later, she heard the bedroom door open and Robert walk in, plopping down beside her, looking just as tired. He immediately wrapped his arms around her growing belly and pulled her towards him.

“I missed you,” he whispered into her ear before dropping a kiss to her cheek. “Where is our boy?”

“He’s with Vic and Luke.”

“So we actually have the house to ourselves?” He asked and Claire laughed.

“Yes, we do but I hope you don’t mind that I rather take a nap than have sex right now,” she told him and could hear him sigh in relief.

“Oh God, yes! I’m so tired. I could sleep for days.” 

“Vic suggested we have some afternoon delight,” she said, making him laugh.

“Easy to say for her. They don’t have kids. They are probably going at it like bunnies,” he joked before closing his eyes.

“Probably,” she agreed. “I love you, Robert,” she kissed his palm.

“I love you too, Claire,” he replied before they both drifted off to sleep for a few hours.

They woke up a couple of hours later. Claire told her husband that Vic had invited them for dinner. They got ready and drove to the Ripley's residence.

As soon as they entered the house, Claire’s nostrils were filled with the delicious smell of whatever Vic and Luke were making for dinner. 

“Mommy, mommy, mommy,” she heard as her son raced towards her and hugged her.

“You have to try the cookies aunt Vic and I made. They are so yummy,” he dragged her into the kitchen, Robert following behind them, laughing at his sons excitement.

“Hey guys,” the Ripleys greeted them.

“This smells amazing. What are you making?” Robert asked.

“Garlic-Grilled Chicken with Pesto Zucchini Ribbons,” Vic answered as she prepared the salad. “Bobby, can you set the table please?” She asked and he nodded and grabbed the plates. Robert decided to help his son and grabbed the rest.

Claire watched her friends cook together and as usual they were in perfect sync. She had stopped pushing them together after she found out about the voicemail he had accidentally left Frankel because she knew that they didn’t need her meddling anymore, for the most part. She smiled as she watched them in their element as if she wasn’t even in the room. The little touches and glances they exchanged which she was sure they didn’t even realize they were doing because it was second nature to them. She watched as Luke mumbled something about getting some wine before kissing her shoulder and leaving the kitchen.

Vic finally looked up from what she was doing. Her face was glowing, her eyes sparkled and Claire couldn’t remember ever seeing her friend this happy and content before.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. I’m just grateful that you and Luke took care of my son this afternoon. I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, it was nothing. We loved it. We don’t mind doing it more often. Luke had to turn on the sirens so we would get there in time and Bobby is now the most popular kid in school,” they laughed together.

“Wait, hold on. I called you in time. Why were you almost late?” Claire asked and Vic blushed. “Oh my God, please tell me you weren’t in the middle of doing it when I called you to pick him up?”

“What? No, of course not. But we may have had a quickie after you called,” she replied guiltily. 

“You left my son waiting so you could have sex?” Claire glared at her.

“He didn’t wait. We arrived just in time,” Vic defended herself.

“Aha,” she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“It was all Luke’s fault,” Vic said just in time for him to walk back in and hear it.

“What was my fault?” He wanted to know.

“That we had to use the sirens today,” she answered and he turned bright red. 

“You two are impossible,” Claire reprimanded them.

“Says the one who was trying to hook us up this entire time,” Vic teased.

“Touchè,” she laughed.

“Okay, you can go and sit down with your family. Dinner will be ready in a bit,” Vic told her and she went into the dining room where her son was telling his father all about the wonderful day he had with his aunt and uncle, about the sirens and baking cookies. Claire couldn’t help but smile at him. She loved her son and couldn’t wait to meet the new baby. She knew that he would be the best big brother.

They spent a wonderful evening together as a family and Claire hoped that Luke wouldn’t be so stupid to let Vic ever walk out of his life. She wanted nothing more than for these two stubborn idiots to realize how much they were in love with each other and she also wanted Vic as the godmother to her baby. She just had to wait until they finally admitted their feelings for each other to ask her.


	17. Kiss me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas and Vic break another rule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is still reading this story and enjoying it. It means the world to me.
> 
> This is the dress I imagined on Vic: https://www.suzhoudress.com/i/sexy-split-long-black-beaded-lace-appliques-evening-dress-21595.html

Vic finally had that night out with Travis but all she really wanted to do was go home and snuggle in bed with Luke. He had kissed her cheek before she left and told her to have fun. When she had asked him if he wanted to come with them he just shook his head, telling her he wanted a nice evening at home and would wait for her. 

She sighed as she watched Travis flirt with several guys. They were all quite hot but Vic wasn’t sure that any of them were good enough for her best friend but then again he wasn’t looking for a life partner and any of them would be perfect for a random hook-up. 

She searched the dance floor for the rest of her friends and spotted Andy dancing with Ryan, looking pretty cozy for two people insisting on only being friends but Vic had to admit that they were cute. Ryan was quite handsome and he had known Andy since they were in their diapers. 

She looked around some more and caught a glimpse of Jennifer and Maya making out in a corner. They looked quite into it and while on the one hand it was quite hot on the other it was somewhat weird to see her colleague make out with her sister-in-law but they looked happy, so who was Vic to judge. She just hoped that Maya wouldn’t break Jennifer’s heart.

She sighed again and turned back to the bar to order another drink. She was ready to call it a night after the drink because she was really missing her hubby.

“Can I have a sex on the beach, please?” She ordered.

“If you want sex on the beach, all you gotta do is ask,” she suddenly heard someone with an Australian accent. He was standing behind her, way too close for her liking. Vic was ready to punch him out if he so much as tried to lay a hand on her.

“Thanks but no thanks. I’m happily married,” she replied while lifting her left hand to show him the wedding band. Who would have thought that fake-married would come in handy to ward off unwanted advances?

“Oh, come on. Your husband doesn’t have to know,” he said as she felt him move even closer. “Come on, Eggy,” he whispered into her ear. Vic jaw dropped at the nickname and when she turned around she was staring into the gorgeous blue eyes of her hubby who was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve green t-shirt and she couldn’t help but bite her lip at the sight of him before punching him playfully into the shoulder.

“Ouch! I thought you’d be happy to see me. Travis texted that you were miserable,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

“I wasn’t miserable,” she protested as he raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t miserable,” she insisted. “Just lonely. Everyone else is off having fun and I’m here all alone,” she pouted while playing with the buttons on his shirt, making him laugh.

“Well, I’m here now,” he beamed and Vic melted against him.

“What’s with that Australian accent?” She wondered.  

“We used to live in Australia for a couple of years,” he explained. “Don’t tell me you like it?” He smirked, making Vic blush. “Oh, you do. Does it turn you on?” He started talking with the accent again and Vic licked her lips, smirking back at him.

“I want you! Now!” She whispered into his ear before biting his earlobe, making him groan, feeling his cock already half-hard against her thigh. “By the way, do you like the dress that I’m wearing?” she purred and he swallowed hard.

“That’s the dress from our wedding day,” he moaned and Vic nodded. “You still look so damn sexy in it.”

“I promise not to set you on fire this time,” she joked.

“Too late, babe. I’m already on fire,” she rolled her eyes before grabbing his hand and dragging him to the nearest restroom. 

She checked if anyone was inside before pulling him in and then pushing him inside a stall and locking the door behind them. He pushed her against it, his hands gripping her hips as his lips attacked her neck, kissing and biting it. Her hands slid down his chest and he sucked in his breath as her hands found his belt buckle and she loosened his belt, unzipping his jeans and slipping a hand into them.

“Fuck,” she cursed as she realized that he went commando. She grasped his erection, making him groan out loud. “Did you plan this?” She wondered and he just nodded against her neck. Vic pulled out his cock while he hiked up her dress and pulled up her leg around his hip. Vic just pushed her thong aside as he gripped his cock and slowly pushed inside her, both letting out a loud moan at the feel of each other.

“Fuck,” he groaned as he started thrusting into her hard and fast.

“Yes, right there, babe,” Vic spurred him on as she felt herself getting closer to her release when suddenly the door burst open and she heard someone enter. 

“I can’t believe you dragged me into a public bathroom to have sex with me,” she heard a familiar voice and felt Luke stiffen against her.

“Oh my God, that’s my sister,” he whispered, eyes and mouth wide open while still buried deep within her. “We can’t do this with my sister in here,” he protested as Vic’s walls contracted around him. “Fuck!”

“Sorry, Luke,” she looked apologetically, still holding on to him. 

“Come on, Jen. Live a little,” the stall door next to them opened and closed again and Vic could hear them making out frantically.

“Oh God, Maya!” Jennifer moaned.

“We have to get out of here,” he said but Vic didn’t budge but instead tighten her thigh around his hip and pulled him closer. He looked at her in shock. “Is this turning you on?” He asked and Vic could feel her cheeks burn.

“Maybe,” she replied as she tried to make him move again. “The sooner you make me come the sooner we can get out of here. It’s up to you,” she told him as the bathroom door opened again.

“Maya?” she heard Andy yell.

“Fuck,” Luke cursed. “Is this the only restroom in this club?”

“Maya, I saw you come in here. I need to talk,” Andy slurred, clearly drunk.

“She has the worst timing,” Maya cursed and Vic could hear them as the fixed their clothes, unlocked the door and left the stall.

“Oh, Jen. I didn’t realize that you both went in,” Andy said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your sexy time but I need my best friend.”

“Andy, what could possibly be so important?” Maya asked, sounding annoyed which Vic understood. She felt the same way. Instead of having hot sex with Luke, they were literally stuck.

“Ryan and I kinda kissed,” she declared. 

“I knew they were more than just friends,” Vic whispered triumphant.

“Kinda?” Maya asked.

“We were dancing and he pulled me closer and then we were kissing,” Andy explained.

Vic and Luke were listening to them and it surprised her that he was still hard inside of her.

“Admit it, this isn’t just a turn on for me. You love that any second we could be discovered,” she teased him and squeezed her inner muscles again, making him groan loud enough for others to hear.

“Did you guys hear that?” Jennifer asked.

“I think someone’s in there having sex,” Andy blurted out. “We know you are in there,” she yelled while banging against the door.

“Maybe we should just let them finish,” Maya said. “Let’s give them some privacy. Let at least someone get laid tonight,” she mumbled before the three of them left the restroom.

“Fuck! I can’t believe that just happened,” Luke replied as she urged him to move again. “We gotta hurry up before someone else comes in,” he started fucking her faster until they both came together.

She quickly cleaned up and fixed her dress while he pulled up his pants.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” he grabbed her hand and they exited and ran right into Andy, Maya and Jennifer who were still standing outside the restroom.

“Oh my God, my brother just had sex in there and we almost just had sex in there as well,” Jennifer said horrified while Maya tried to high-five them, looking incredibly proud and Andy just laughed.

“What’s going on here?” Travis suddenly appeared and everyone turned to look at him.

“Nothing,” they said in unison except for Andy who proudly announced that their boss was having sex with his wife in a public bathroom at the same time as Maya and Jennifer were trying to have sex in the stall right next to them.

“Why am I not surprised,” Travis glared at Vic and then at Maya. Vic ignored him while Maya showed no shame whatsoever.

“I think it’s time to go home,” Vic blushed and grabbed her hubby’s hand, ready to leave.

“Come on, Vic. He just came,” Travis said and everyone stared at him and laughed except for Luke. “I meant to the club not the other thing although you two look quite debauched, so I guess it works both ways.” 

“I’m still your boss, Travis,” he warned him and Travis stopped laughing right away. “We will stay a little bit longer if you promise to never bring up what just happened ever again,” he said and everyone nodded.

The little bit longer turned into an all-nighter as they drank and danced and disappeared into the bathroom once more because Vic just couldn’t keep her hands off of him. This time no one interrupted them.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas woke up the next morning with a very naked Vic in his arms. He couldn’t help but smile despite his hangover. It had been a while since he went clubbing but he definitely had fun. He always had fun with Vic and he was starting to warm up to enjoy the company of her friends as well.

He figured he would surprise her with breakfast in bed so he got up and put on his boxer shorts before going into the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his face. He skipped the shower since he assumed that they would take one together after breakfast.

He went downstairs into the kitchen, turned on the coffee machine and opened the fridge to grab some eggs, cheese and tomatoes for an omelette when he heard someone walk in.

“Morning, babe,” he greeted without turning around. “Go back upstairs. We’re having breakfast in bed.”

“I don’t think that Vic would be thrilled about us having breakfast in bed together,” Travis teased and Lucas turned around to find his wife’s best friend standing in his kitchen in his underwear.

“What are you doing here?” He wondered, trying to hide behind the kitchen counter.

“Don’t you remember?” Lucas shook his head. “Vic invited us to stay over.”

“Us?”

“Jen, Maya and me. I slept in Vic’s old room and Maya and Jen slept in the other guest room. I was about to take a shower when I noticed that there weren’t any clean towels. I guess with Vic staying in the master bedroom now, you forgot to put in new towels,” he winked and Lucas blushed.

“Um, of course,” he rubbed his beard. “There are some in the closet next to Vic’s old room.”

“Thanks! Sorry for intruding on your day off,” he apologized. 

“Don’t worry about it. I know that Vic and you haven’t hung out in a while and it’s my fault since we’ve been spending all our time together.”

“I mean, I miss her but I’m also happy that things between you two are going great.” Lucas just nodded. “Okay, I will let you get back to it then,” the younger man said and disappeared.

The door swung open again and his sister walked in.

“Oh Lucas, for the love of God, please put on some clothes,” she teased and he glared at her.

“You can always just leave  _ my _ house,” he replied as she glared back. “It’s not like I expected you guys to be here. I thought it’s just Vic and me. I forgot that she invited you guys to stay.”

“You really shouldn’t be drinking at your age. You keep forgetting things,” she joked and grabbed two mugs and filled them with coffee, handing one to Lucas who mumbled a quick “thank you”.

“What happened to Herrera? Wasn’t she with us?”

“Yes. Andy left with Ryan,” she explained and Lucas nodded.

“So, how are things going between you and Vic?”

“We are good,” he shrugged and sipped his coffee.

“Just good? It looked like more than just good last night. I mean you showed up at a nightclub to keep her company and then you two had sex in a public bathroom. Several times,” she chuckled.

“It was only twice and it’s not like I was the only one there. You almost did the same thing with your girlfriend,” he countered and she blushed. “How are things between you and Bishop?”

“You do realize that she has a first name, right?”

“I know but she is my subordinate,” he replied as Jen rolled her eyes at him.

“Well so is Vic,” she said.

“Okay, you got a point there. So, how are things with you and Maya then?” He asked again.

“She is great and we have a lot of fun but it’s too early to tell if this is more,” he nodded knowingly. “I never asked but considering that she is your subordinate, do you have a problem with us dating?”

“Does it really matter what I think?” He asked.

“Well, you are my big brother and your opinion is important to me.”

“Okay. I mean it’s not ideal but I really have no right to judge your relationship considering everything that is going on with me and Vic,” Jennifer nodded. “I just want you to be happy and if she makes you happy then that’s good enough for me,” he smiled and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you, big brother,” she said as she helped him cook breakfast.

“Morning,” Vic and Maya greeted as they walked into the kitchen. Lucas had to stop himself from staring at Vic who was wearing his shirt from last night and probably nothing underneath or just that little thong that barely counted as underwear. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek before slapping his ass. 

“Sorry,” she said and he looked at her confused. “For inviting everyone,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry about it,” he smiled. “I know you miss your friends.”

“Vic, do you want some coffee?” Maya asked and she nodded.

“Thanks for making breakfast for us, Chief,” Maya said, looking rather unfazed by his state of undress.

“You’re dating my sister and I’m married to one of your best friends, I think it’s okay if you call me Lucas outside of work. Or Luke. Whichever you prefer.”

“Thanks, Lucas,” she smiled as she handed Vic her mug and they sat down at the table, waiting for breakfast to be served.

“Where’s Travis?” Vic wondered just as he walked into the kitchen.

“Damn, that shower is amazing. I may move in with you guys,” he joked, making Vic choke on her coffee while Maya laughed.

“I think Vic and Lucas are happy that Jen finally moved out and they don’t need another room mate unless it’s a baby,” Maya said while winking at Lucas who almost dropped the plates. “I mean, obviously not now but you can’t deny the world those gorgeous babies you two would have. Just think of all that gorgeous hair,” she voiced while Travis nodded in agreement and Vic glared at them.

“They still got time,” Jennifer chimed in. “But I do hope to be aunt Jennifer someday,” she teased as she grabbed two plates and put them on the table before taking a seat. Lucas followed behind her with the rest of the food and they ate while chit chatting about dates, relationships and never drinking as much as they all had last night.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas had been visiting firehouses all day long to recruit volunteers for the Annual Firefighter Auction and his last stop was Vic’s station. He found her and her team in the Beanery cleaning up after dinner.

“Good evening everyone,” he greeted them, smiling at Vic.

“Chief Ripley, what can we do for you?” Captain Herrera asked, sounding anything but welcoming. Lucas had hoped that he would warm up to the idea of him and Vic married but apparently he hadn’t.

“I’ll make this quick. The Annual Firefighter Auction is next week and I’m still looking for volunteers to be auctioned off,” he looked at Miller, Gibson and Montgomery. “Even I have to participate this time,” he told them and watched as Vic’s head shot up. 

“But you are married? I thought only bachelors participated in that?” Maya asked.

“My calendar sold so well that the Mayor decided it would be a good idea for me to take part in the auction. Anything for charity, right?” He looked at Vic apologetically.

“Good to know that the departments policy is to pimp out married people,” Vic scoffed before walking away.

“Looks like somebody is jealous,” Maya said as Lucas sighed and went after Vic.

He found her in the barn restocking the aid car angrily.

“Vic?” she ignored him. “Come on. It’s not like I volunteered for this. It’s for charity and it’s only a dinner date. Nothing to be jealous about,” she stopped and turned around to look at him.

“I’m not jealous,” she countered.

“Okay,” he replied while smirking.

“I’m not. I just hate that you had no say in the matter. I hate when other people think they have the right to make choices for us,” she sighed clearly frustrated and Lucas couldn’t help but think of the whole Frankel thing with the voicemail and how he still hadn’t said anything to Vic about it. 

Things were so great between them that he didn’t want to ruin it and he was certain that if Vic found out about the voicemail that it would ruin things and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, so he kept it to himself and now he felt like a jerk for it because she had a right to know.

“I’m sorry, Vic,” he apologized, making her stop what she was doing.

“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m probably overreacting. It’s for charity after all,” she smiled. “I gotta get back to work,” she said, taking a few steps towards him to kiss his cheek but before she could walk away, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight hug. “You don’t need to hug me, Luke. I’m fine,” she snickered but snuggled closer to him.

“Maybe I’m the one who needs a hug,” he replied, making her laugh. “I will be auctioned off next week to some random woman after all,” he complained.

“Maybe so but you are still coming home with me,” she pulled away and wiggled her eyebrows.

“Is that so? And what do you plan on doing with me?” 

“I could tell you or I could show you, Chief Ripley” she purred. “Unless you think it’s a bad idea,” she smirked while pulling him into the aid car. 

“I think it’s a fantastic idea, Hughes,” he replied as he went willingly.   
  


* * *

  
The day of the auction finally arrived and since it was a black tie event, she had splurged on a new dress that she didn’t really need but if she was supposed to sit there and watch one of those desperate women from the department win her husband’s company for a dinner date then she would at least make sure to wear something that would remind those women that they had no chance with him and that would remind Luke what he had waiting for him at home.

Vic knew that at some point they would have to talk about their feelings but for now she was okay with how things were going. The only thing that she was missing was the kissing. They had successfully avoided kissing on the lips and it was driving her insane. It wasn’t like they didn’t have moments where they both looked like they wanted it but those moments were always interrupted by something or someone and then the moment was gone and it annoyed Vic to no end so tonight she would make sure to kiss her husband on the lips for the first time since their wedding which she still couldn’t remember. 

It was funny to how memory worked. She had remembered most of the night except for the most important part where they actually got married. Vic wondered if she would ever remember it and then she wondered if maybe he had remembered something but hadn’t told her about it. She sighed. They really needed to talk about all this.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Luke existed the closet wearing a beautiful new tux looking absolutely handsome and Vic’s jaw dropped at the sight of him. His soft curls were brushed back, showing off his gorgeous face, his beard was shorter than usual and Vic was glad that he didn’t shave it off completely. She had threatened to withhold sex if he ever shaved it off because she loved to feel it against her soft skin when he peppered her body with kisses or when he went down on her, so he agreed to trim it a little bit instead of shaving it off completely.

“Do I look okay?” He asked with a glint in his eye as Vic licked her lips.

“You look more than just okay,” she smirked and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him. “In fact, I think we should just skip the auction and stay home and have sex all night long.”

“Is that so?” She nodded, beaming at him. “You have no idea how much I want that but we have to go,” he sighed as she nodded.

“I know,” she pouted, “but once we get home, we are not leaving this room for the entire weekend,” she suggested and he nodded enthusiastically.

He lifted one of his hands and played with a strand of her hair. “You did something new with your hair,” he noticed and Vic nodded. She straightened it which she hadn’t done in forever. “You are so beautiful, but is it wrong to say that I love your curls more. They are more you,” Vic smile grew wider. 

She used to hate her hair when she was little. Some kids would make fun of it and some of the teachers would reprimand her for her hair styles. It wasn’t until she got to middle school when she finally felt comfortable in her own skin and hair. She got more confident and finally embraced who she was.

“I thought I would try something different to fit in,” she said and he shook his head.

“You don’t need to do anything to fit in with anyone. You are perfect just the way you are and anyone who doesn’t see that, to hell with them,” he cupped her cheek and just stared into her eyes. Vic’s mind was spinning because it was one of those moments again. She just needed to lean forward a bit. “We have broken all the rules we set up already except for that one and I really, really want to kiss you right now,” he declared.

“I’m not stopping you,” she admitted as he smiled and moved closer. They were only inches apart, she could feel his breath on her face and licked her lips in anticipation when the doorbell rang, breaking the spell and he pulled away. “You gotta be kidding me,” she scoffed and moved out of his embrace. “Whoever is at the door, they better be bleeding,” she said in an annoyed tone and Luke chuckled before kissing the corner of her mouth and walking out of their bedroom.

Vic sighed and decided to get dressed. She could kiss her hubby another time although the moment was just so damn perfect. 

She slipped into her dress and admired herself in the mirror. She usually wouldn’t buy a dress this expensive but it was just perfect, playful with just the right amount of sexy without looking trashy or too desperate. It was black with lace embellishment across one side of the bodice and a sheath silhouette with a sweep train, sleeveless with a refined neckline and showed just the right amount of skin and it looked perfect against her caramel skin and made her feel sexy. Luke was going to lose his mind and she couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw her in it.

She swiped her hair over her right shoulder and put on some rose lip gloss which was the perfect addition to her smoky eyes. She smiled at herself in the mirror before grabbing her clutch and leaving the room.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas sighed as he left the bedroom. He knew it was stupid and that they could have kissed numerous times while sleeping together but he was a romantic and old school and wanted their first real kiss to be special. 

When he opened the door, he found a very impatient Jennifer, Maya and Travis in front of him.

“Move, big brother! I gotta use your bathroom,” she brushed past him as the other two entered the house.

“She has been complaining the entire drive,” Travis groaned.

“Maya, Travis, you two cleaned up nicely,” he smiled.

“Right back at you, Chief. I mean, Lucas,” Maya blushed. “Where is Vic? Shouldn’t she be ready by now?”

“Um, she should be done any minute,” Lucas explained as he heard someone clear their throat.

When he turned around and laid eyes on Vic, it felt like someone had knocked the breath out of his lungs. He swallowed hard as she descended the stairs, the dress hugged her every curve while the high slit revealed one of her long, toned legs. She looked divine and sinful at the same time.

“Lucas, close your mouth. You’re drooling all over the floor,“ Jennifer teased as she walked back into the main hall, earning herself a glare from him.

“Hey, I’m gay and I’m also drooling,” Travis chimed in, making Vic chuckle.

“So, I guess this is okay then?” she asked nervously.

“Okay? You look absolutely stunning,” Maya assured her while Lucas just stared and nodded in agreement.

“Thanks Maya. You and Jennifer look beautiful too.”

“What about me?” Travis asked mock-hurt. “I’m the one being auctioned off after all.”

“You look handsome as always, Travis,” she rolled her eyes as she joined everyone downstairs. “I’m sure you’ll make a lot of money for charity tonight.”

“Not as much as your hubby here,” Travis replied but Vic didn’t say anything.

“You look breathtaking,” Lucas whispered into her ear, making her blush. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” he kissed her shoulder before helping her into her coat and leaving the house.

The event was already in full swing when they arrived. They grabbed some drinks and found their seats. The auction started a moment later, right after the Mayor's speech who was grateful for the fire departments services.

They ate and drank while one firefighter after another was auctioned off for a date with a lucky lady or gentlemen. 

Lucas was the surprise “item” so they kept him for the big finale at the end and he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t nervous. He knew it was all for a good cause and he used to participate in those types of things when he was just a simple firefighter but usually the candidates were single men and he wasn’t a single for sure. He couldn’t help but be nervous. He really didn’t want to go on a dinner date with some random woman.

“We have a very special candidate for you tonight. I think the ladies will love him as will some of the gentlemen. This is the first time that a firefighter of his rank has agreed to participate in one of these auctions, so please give a warm welcome to the one and only, Fire Chief Lucas Ripley.”

“Good luck,” Vic said as she kissed his cheek.

Lucas took a deep breath before walking onto the stage. He could hear the women cheering and clapping and he couldn’t help but blush. His eyes searched for Vic and he found her immediately and winked at her while she smiled back at him.

“The starting bid is 500 dollars. Do I hear 500?” Several auction paddles went up and Lucas looked in surprise when the bids reached 2000 dollars in a matter of seconds. When he looked back at Vic, he noticed that she was quite amused by all of it and then suddenly her paddle shot up too.

“Ah, I see that Mis'ess just bid on her husband. That’s very admirable of her to do this for a good cause since she can get those dates for free,” the bid caller joked and everyone laughed.

“That’s 3000 dollars for this fine specimen. Do I hear 3100?” Another round of paddles went up and Lucas sighed when he was suddenly at $4000. He smiled as he reminded himself that this was all for charity.

“Do I hear 4100?” Lucas stares at the last bidder and she looked so damn excited and he remembered her from headquarters and how she complimented him on his calendar and how he felt very uncomfortable with the attention she gave him back then. Spending an entire evening with her would probably be awful.

“4000 dollars, going once,“ he started.

“5000 dollars!” Lucas heard a familiar voice and looked up to see Frankel with her paddle up in the air. He sighed in relief when the other bidder declared defeated and he was “bought” by Frankel for 5000 dollars.

He could definitely handle a dinner date with her.  
  


* * *

  
“I didn’t realize that you had to pay for your dates with your own husband,” Dean teased when Vic’s hand shot up and she bid on her own husband. “Or are you just jealous that all those pretty ladies are bidding on him?” Vic glared at him.

“Shut up, Miller!” She whined.

Luke was already at $4000 and it was more than any of the other guys had managed to get and she was proud on one hand but she couldn’t deny that she was also a bit jealous which was totally stupid since she did get to go home with him after all of this.

She watched as her hubby looked in horror at the woman that was trying to win him. She felt bad for him. 

“5000 dollars!” She suddenly heard a familiar voice and turned around to see none other than Frankel bid on him and win.

“I thought Frankel was into women?” Jack asked confused.

“She is.” Maya responded.

“Then why did she just bid on Ripley?” Andy wondered.

“She was probably trying to save him from the clutches of that redhead that was trying to win him,” Dean shrugged while the entire table laughed and nodded.

It didn’t take long for Luke to come back to their table and her entire team erupted in cheers and applause.

“Good job, Chief,” Dean sat while shaking his hand. 

“Thanks, Miller. Congratulations to you as well. And of course Gibson and Montgomery. The Mayor and the Fire Department are very happy,” he announced and plopped down beside Vic.

“Luke? Hughes?” Someone called and they turned around to find Frankel standing there.

“Thank you, Deb,” he hugged her. “You saved my ass. Literally.”

“No problem, Luke,” she hugged him back before pulling away. “Consider it my wedding gift,” she said and Vic looked at her in surprise. “I don’t really need a dinner date with Luke. So, I hope you enjoy it in my stead,” she said as she handed Vic an envelope.

“You just spent 5000 dollars on a date you don’t want?” Vic asked curiously.

“Did you see his face when Bridgette Meyers tried to win him?” Vic laughed. “I just had to take pity on him.”

“Thank you again for the rescue, Deb,” Luke said. “I think I will go and dance with my wife now,” he grabbed her hand and dragged her onto the dance floor.

“You know, you are the most beautiful woman here,” he complimented her while pulling her closer to him, his arms around her hips and hers around his neck. “That dress looks amazing on you,” she blushed.

“Thanks,” she smiled. “That was a really nice thing that Frankel did. She must still feel guilty for what she did,” he nodded. He needed to tell her the truth.

“Vic, there is...” he started but she shushed him with her finger and just stared into his eyes.

“I swear if someone dares to interrupt us right now, there will be blood on the dance floor,” she giggled, making him chuckle as he cupped her cheek and traced her lips with his thumb. She could feel his warm breath on her face as he moved closer before finally closing the gap and kissing her on the lips for the first time since their wedding day. 

Vic felt the butterflies in her stomach but at the same time a pang of nervousness which was silly considering that they had been sleeping together for weeks but this kiss felt more intimate than anything else they had ever done. His lips felt so soft against hers and she smiled into the kiss and felt him do the same before deepening it, his arms wrapping around her waist again and pulling her closer towards him. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had kissed her like that if ever. 

_ Was that what it felt like being kissed by someone you loved? _ she wondered.

The kiss was soft and without haste until air became a necessity and they pulled away a little bit, their foreheads still connected. They stared into each others eyes and grinned like fools as he brushed his nose against hers before kissing her again.

They stayed on the dance floor for a few more songs, swaying to the music and kissing softly before her stomach growled and he laughed.

“I guess I should feed you, again,” he chuckled.

“Not my fault. Have you seen how tiny the portions are here,” she complained as he laughed.

When they finally came home, they spent the entire night just kissing and making love to each other before finally falling asleep in each others arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was more of a filler and maybe didn't move the story along except for the kiss but I hope you still enjoyed it.


	18. Declarations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas share a very special moment with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed this chapter so many times because I wasn't sure how I wanted Vic to find out about the voicemail. I think this is the best option and I hope you all like it.

Vic loved waking up in Lucas’ arms, she loved making love to him, she loved kissing him and wished they had done it sooner. She simply loved  _ him. _ She finally came to the conclusion that she was madly in love with her “fake” husband after they had shared their second first kiss a week ago and she was sure that he felt the same way. She wanted to tell him but decided to wait until his birthday which was just around the corner. She could wait another week to tell him how she felt.

She smiled into his chest before peppering it with kisses. She could feel him waking up, his arms tightening around her waist and pulling her on top of him, making her squeal and laugh. 

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said as she lifted her head to look at him. His hands cupped her face, caressing her cheeks gently, looking at her lovingly.

“Good morning, Lucas,” she beamed before leaning down to kiss him and it felt like flying on clouds, like the promise of a wonderful future together which she couldn’t wait for and she couldn’t stop kissing him and luckily for her neither could he.

He moaned into the kiss as she deepened it by slipping her tongue into his mouth while his hands slid down her body, massaging her ass. She could already feel him hard between her thighs as she rolled her hips before cursing her body. She knew that he didn’t mind having sex with her while she was on her period - they had done it before and it was amazing and helped with the cramps - but she wasn’t feeling like it today and they didn’t really have much time.

“Lucas, I want to but I can’t,” she sighed before kissing him again and moving off of him.

“I know, babe, and I should probably go take a shower, a cold one,” she smirked at him, “and get ready. I can’t miss my flight,” she groaned because he would be gone for a few days and she knew that she would miss him like crazy.

“Do you really have to go to that Fire Chiefs Leadership Seminar in San Diego?” she pouted and he laughed as he rolled on top of her, her legs wrapping around his waist instantly, his lips connecting with hers in another steamy kiss, letting his tongue dance with hers while she grabbed his ass this time, making him groan into her mouth.

“You will be the death of me,” he told her as she laughed. He pulled away and just stared at her. “I’ll be back before you know it. I promise,” he said, smiling at her while caressing her cheek. 

“I’m gonna miss you,” she confessed, making him chuckle.

“I’m gonna miss you too,” he leaned in for another kiss before his alarm went off and interrupted their moment. “I’m sorry, Vic. I really need to get out of bed now,” she nodded sadly before letting go of him.

She watched him grab clean underwear before disappearing into the bathroom, leaving her alone in their bed. She sighed before finally standing up. She put on one of his shirts because she loved the way they smelled and how turned on he got when he saw her in them and then walked downstairs into the kitchen. She turned on the music and started on their breakfast, dancing around and singing along, losing track of time and not noticing that Lucas had entered the kitchen until she turned around and saw him standing there, arms crossed in front of his chest looking amused and absolutely sexy in his blue sweater.

“Dammit, Lucas! You startled me,” she said, trying to catch her breath. He apologized as he walked over to where she was standing, kissed her lips and grabbed two plates to fill them with food while she filled two mugs with coffee. They sat down and ate in comfortable silence and Vic loved those moments with him. She usually wasn’t a morning person but she loved waking up early with Lucas and having breakfast with him. It was one of her favorite things to do.

They finished eating and he stood up and kissed her.

“Have a great weekend and stay safe at work,” he told her before kissing her again. Vic stood up, wrapping her arms around him, deepening the kiss. She really didn’t want to let him go.

He pulled away and looked at her sadly. “Babe, I really have to go now,” she nodded sadly and leaned in for another kiss. Lucas shook his head and chuckled but kissed her one more time before stepping out of her embrace. She watched him as he grabbed his things and then left for the airport.

Vic quickly cleaned the kitchen and went back to bed for a few more hours of sleep before her shift.

When she woke up, she had a new message from Lucas on her phone. She smiled as she opened it and found a picture of him in his hotel room with a beautiful view of San Diego in the background, saying that he missed her and wished she was there. She swiftly texted him back that she loved the view adding a wink emoji and that she wished she was there with him before snapping a photo of herself naked between the sheets. He replied immediately with a fainting gif, making her laugh. She remained in bed a while longer before taking a shower and getting ready for work.  
  


* * *

  
She was sitting in the Beanery sipping her coffee, staring into space when Maya found her.

“Hey Vic, what's going on?” She asked and Vic glanced at her and smiled. “Let me guess, you’re thinking about Ripley?” Vic just nodded. “You know, happy looks good on you,” Maya said as she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down beside her.

“What about you? How are things with Jennifer?”

“Actually, things are amazing.” 

“You sound surprised,” Vic noted.

“I kinda am,” she admits. “I’ve always been more of a one night stand kinda girl who doesn’t want to be in a committed relationship but with Jennifer it’s different. I love spending time with her. I don’t feel like I’m suffocating when I’m with her. She is smart and beautiful and kind and funny and I love that she is not a firefighter but still gets my job and my love for it.” Vic smiled and was happy to hear that. She knew that Maya wasn’t the relationship type of girl, so she was glad that she seemed serious about Jennifer. The last thing she needed was Maya breaking her sister-in-law’s heart.

“You know if you and Jennifer were to get married somewhere down the line, you and I would be family,” Vic noted and Maya smiled at her. Vic couldn’t remember ever seeing Maya like that.

“That actually sounds really nice,” Maya admitted.

“Oh my God, you are totally smitten with her,” Vic teased.

“Well, you of all people should know how easily smitten one can get with a Ripley. Those are some pretty good genes there,” Maya joked, making Vic laugh.

“That’s true,” Vic agreed. 

“Speaking of genes...” she started.

Vic shook her head and stopped her. “Don’t start with the baby talk again. We just got married a few months ago. There are no babies planned,” she proclaimed, “yet,” she added and smiled.

“Yet? So you do want kids with him then?” Vic nodded. She wanted a whole football team if possible.

“I love him. I want everything with him,” she shrugged and finished her coffee. It was funny how easily it spilled from her lips that she loved Lucas. She wanted to shout it to the world that she was in love with him. 

“Who would have thought that you and the Chief would fall in love with each other and get married and eventually have a family together.”

“I’m just as surprised as anyone else. I didn’t expect it to happen but it did and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. He is the one which is probably weird because he is older and my boss but I can’t imagine my life without him anymore,” she smiled fondly.

“Girl, you are so in love with him and yeah maybe it’s a bit weird when you hear it but when you see the two of you, it just makes sense. I mean he looks at you like you are the only person in the room.” 

“That’s not true,” Vic protested weakly, knowing that her friend was right.

“Oh, you know it’s true and you love it,” Vic blushed. “Ha, I knew it!” Maya laughed.

“Knew what?” Dean asked as he joined them.

“Nothing!” Vic exclaimed as the Beanery filled with the rest of her team. “Since I have you all here, it’s Lucas’ birthday next week and I want to throw him a surprise party...”

“You sure that’s a good idea? Isn’t he like a hundred years old? A surprise party might kill him,” Dean interrupted, earning himself a glare from Vic.

“Shut up, Miller. He ain’t that old. It’s his forty-third birthday and it’s the first birthday we are celebrating together as a married couple and I want it to be special.”

“Your idea of special and my idea of special are not the same thing,” Maya muttered.

“Not everything is about sex, Maya,” Jack reminded her.

“Sure but Ripley is hot. I mean if that was my husband I would never let him out of my bedroom,” Vic rolled her eyes even though she had a point.

“Don’t you find it weird to talk about your girlfriend’s brother that way?” Jack wondered while Maya shrugged.

“And my husband,” Vic reminded her but she simply ignored her. “Okay, enough of that. Can I count on you guys to come to Lucas’ birthday party?” Everyone nodded. “Perfect!”  
  


* * *

  
Lucas was sitting at the airport, waiting to board and he couldn’t stop thinking about Vic. He was already missing her and it had only been two hours since he had kissed her goodbye. There was no denying it anymore he was madly in love with her and ever since their second first kiss he was sure that she felt the same way about him. Now all he had to do was admit his feelings to her and finally tell her about the whole voicemail fiasco with Frankel and hope that she could forgive him for that.

He pulled out his phone, unlocked it and smiled when he looked at his background photo. It was a photo of Vic and Bobby Jr. while they were baking a couple of weeks ago. He had snapped it without them noticing and it was one of his favorites. He couldn’t wait to have his own kids with Vic.

“Is that your family?” He heard someone ask. He looked to his left and saw an older woman staring at his phone, smiling.

Lucas grinned. “That’s my wife and our godson.”

“She is a stunner,” the lady answered. 

“She really is but she is also smart and funny and brave,” the woman looked at him curiously. “She is a firefighter,” he said proudly.

“Ah, I see. You sound really proud of her.”

“I am. She is awesome and she knows it,” he chuckled.

“Are you flying back home to her?”

“No, I’m flying to San Diego for a seminar. I’d rather be at home with her,” he admitted.

 “How long have you two been married?” She asked.

“A little over five months,” he beamed at her. 

“So, still newlyweds?” She laughed and he nodded. “How did you two meet?”

“At a bar. Actually it’s a funny story,” he laughed and continued, “she set me on fire with one of those flaming drinks,” the lady started laughing as well. “I know it’s ironic because she is a firefighter and even more ironic because I’m the Fire Chief but it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“So, you two work together?” She asked curiously.

“Well, yeah, kind of. I’m her boss, at work at least, at home it’s a whole different story,” he chuckled. “We don’t work together directly. I spend most of my time in my office at headquarters while she still does active firefighting,” she nodded in acknowledgement. 

“You must worry about her a lot when she is running into burning buildings,” she noted.

“I do but she is really good at her job,” she nodded and smiled.

Lucas heard the announcement for his flight and put away his phone. “It was a pleasure talking to you but I have to go now. Have a safe flight,” he told her.

“You too,” she said before he left.  
  


* * *

  
Vic had finished her shift and was on her way to Claire’s place to talk about Lucas’ birthday party and Vic was grateful that Claire had agreed to help her. She knew Lucas better and she was so much better at planning things while Vic really sucked at it. If it was up to her she would have done what Maya suggested and never let him leave their bedroom but they still could do that after the party and she wanted to show him how loved and appreciated he was by everyone. He deserved that.

She smiled as she knocked on the door and it swung open to reveal a very excited Bobby Jr. who was bouncing up and down, holding something in his hand.

“Hey aunt Vic,” he greeted her and she walked inside.

“What’s going on with you? What has you so excited?” She wondered.

“Daddy got a new iPad and gave me his old one. You have to help me set up all the games and stuff,” he beamed at her and Vic couldn’t help but laugh. “Will you do that, aunt Vic?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” he smiled and hugged her. “Where are your parents?”

“Daddy just left for work and Mommy is in the kitchen making mac and cheese for us. She makes the best mac and cheese,” he grinned and ran into the living room. Vic took off her jacket and shoes and dropped her bag onto the floor before walking into the kitchen.

“Hey Claire,” she said and sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen counter.

“Hey Vic, how was work?”

“Tiring. I’m so glad to be here and not at home alone and apparently I’m in for a treat because according to your son you make the best mac and cheese,” she chuckled.

“Yes, I do,” she laughed.

“Do you need me to help you with anything?” 

“I got everything under control. You can set the table if you want,” Vic did as she was told and quickly set the table and sat back down.

“How is the little one doing?” She asked, pointing at her bump.

“The little one is growing and kicking. It’s amazing. I really didn’t think I would have all this again,” her friend beamed and Vic was so happy for her. “I’m so happy, Vic.”

“I can see that and you deserve it. You are one of the best people I have ever met.”

“Right back at you,” she winked. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you happy?” She wanted to know.

“Um, sure.”

“Aha, does that have anything to do with one handsome, tall Fire Chief?”

“Why would Lucas have anything to do with it?” She asked innocently, knowing all too well that Claire could see right through her.

“Maybe the fact that you are calling him Lucas now instead of Luke and the fact that I saw you two kissing at the auction. Kissing on the lips and therefore breaking one of the rules you supposedly set up when you started sleeping together,” Claire raised an eyebrow while Vic stared at her in shock.

“How did you know that we kissed at the auction? You weren’t even there. Was it Jennifer or Travis who told you?” Vic really shouldn’t be surprised that Claire knew about that. She always knew everything.

“No one told me. I saw the photos,” she said matter of factly.

“Wait, what photos?”

“The official ones from the event. There was a photographer there and he snapped a couple of photos of the two of you making out and looking rather cozy and clearly in love,” Vic blushed. “Can you please just admit it already and put me out of my misery?” Claire begged and Vic started laughing.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Vic teased, making her groan. “Okay, okay. I’m in love with Lucas. Are you happy now?”

“Yes!” she threw her fist in the air. “Finally! I was about to start an intervention,” she snickered. “Have you told him yet?”

“I’m waiting for his birthday. I want to surprise him,” she beamed at her friend.

“I’m glad that you finally realized what I have known for months,” they both laughed.

“I wanted to be sure. I mean we are talking about the rest of my life and a potential family together. I really wanted to make sure that he was the right one.”

“And he is,” it was more of a statement than a question.

“Yeah, he definitely is,” Vic had never been more sure about anything in her life.

“If I wasn’t pregnant I would totally drink to that. So happy that you finally came to your senses. I was getting frustrated.”

“You were getting frustrated?” Vic asked with a furrowed forehead.

“Yes because I’ve been waiting for you to finally admit your feelings, so I could ask you something.”

“Ask me what?” Vic wondered.

“We already asked Luke of course and Robert and I were wondering if you wanted to be our baby’s godmother?”

Vic’s breath caught in her throat and she was speechless. She really didn’t expect that. 

“You don’t have to answer right away. You can think about it.”

“Are you sure you want me to be your baby’s godmother?” Claire just nodded. “Wow, I’d be really honored,” Vic stood up and hugged her friend tightly. “Thank you so much for trusting me with your little one,” she sniffed. “It means a great deal to me.”

“I know, honey. I’m so glad.” Claire hugged her back.

“Are you two okay?” Bobby Jr. asked, looking at them slightly concerned, as Vic and Claire pulled away, wiping away the tears.

“Yeah we are, baby. Put away the iPad and go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready,” she turned to Vic. “You too, missy.”

“Yes, mommy!” She teased before washing her hands. She was so happy she could burst.

After dinner, Claire sent Bobby Jr. upstairs to take a bath while she washed the dishes.

“Hey, can I help you?” Vic asked but Claire shook her head.

“Not with the dishes but you can take a look at the iPad and install some games while he is taking a bath. He has been bugging me ever since Robert gave him that damn thing.”

Vic nodded. “I’ll be in the living room if you need me,” she said and left.

She sat down on the comfy sofa and turned on the device, browsing through the menu and files, installing a few games when her eyes caught an audio file named “Luke’s message”. She knew that she shouldn’t but her curiosity got the best of her and she clicked play.

“Hey buddy, I was hoping to talk to you but I guess this will have to do.” Vic heard Lucas’ voice and wondered if that was from last night. She hadn’t heard from him but didn’t think much of it. She figured he was just busy and she was working so he didn’t want to disturb her. “Do you believe in love at first sight? Stupid question! Of course you do, you saw Claire and knew right away that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her. I met this woman and she is the most intriguing person I have ever met and so gorgeous and funny,” Vic swallowed as she listened to Lucas. Did he meet someone else? She was having difficulty to breath as her eyes started to water. “She is so easy to talk to and I haven’t had that in years. The only people I talk to these days are you, Claire and Frankel. I don’t know what it is about her but I feel like I can just open up to her and share things and it should be weird because she is a complete stranger but it feels so natural and organic,” Vic felt the tears streaming down her face. This wasn’t happening. “She gets me and I feel like I’ve known her for years. I think she feels the same. I don’t want this night to end. What am I gonna do? What if I don’t see her again after tonight? I know it’s stupid because I just met her but I think she might be the one...” and then the message just ended and Vic felt her heart break. It felt like someone had just ripped it out and stomped on it and she couldn’t breath or think. All she knew was that the man she loved had met someone else and felt something for her. 

Vic had to get out. She couldn’t deal with this right now. She dropped the iPad onto the couch, steeled herself and walked into the kitchen.

“Claire, I think I’m gonna head home,” she did her best not to cry in front of her.

“Is everything okay?“ Her friend asked concerned.

“Yeah, I’m not feeling well. I think I might be coming down with something and it’s been a long day and I’m exhausted. I don’t want to get you and the little one sick,” she smiled even though her heart was breaking.

“Okay, honey. Call me tomorrow or text me to let me know that you are okay,” Vic nodded and said goodbye before grabbing her things and leaving the house.

She got into her car and just drove off, not knowing where to go or what to do. Did she wait too long and Lucas thought she didn’t want him and let himself be open for someone else? Why didn’t she tell him right away? Why did she have to wait? She was so upset with herself and upset with Lucas and just upset with the entire universe. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She had finally found the right guy, only for him to find the right girl that wasn’t her? What a cruel joke.

Her phone chimed but she ignored it. She really didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now. Not when she was a heartbroken, crying mess. She just drove around for a while until she was in front of her house. She sighed, parked and went inside. She dropped her things, went to the kitchen and raided the liquor cabinet before going upstairs into her old room, since she couldn’t bring herself to go into their - his - room, and just plopped down on the bed and drank herself into oblivion. 

Vic couldn’t stop herself from thinking about Lucas with someone else. It made all sense now why she hadn’t heard from him in over twenty-four hours because he was with someone else. He had met  _ the _ one and wasn’t thinking about her anymore. She had waited too long and had lost him. She was so stupid.

She took another sip of vodka and then another until her mind was numb and she didn’t feel anything but the alcohol in her bloodstream and then she passed out.

When she woke up the next morning, she groaned because her head was pounding and as she checked her phone, she found several missed calls and text messages from Travis but only the one missed call from Lucas from last night. She felt her heart break all over again. Did he just stop caring about her altogether? She quickly texted Travis that she was fine, just feeling a bit under the weather and tired and just wanted to rest. She also texted Claire as promise to let her know that she was doing okay. 

She hoped that no one would show up on her doorstep because all she wanted was to be left alone and to wallow in self-pity. She sighed before falling back into bed and falling asleep again.  
  


* * *

  
Travis would usually not worry about Vic not picking up her phone because it usually meant that she was busy with Lucas but he knew that Lucas was in San Diego, so he had been worried sick about Vic when she didn’t pick up her phone but left her alone when he received her message the next day, telling him that she was fine and just needed to rest. He texted her again in the evening asking how she was feeling. Her only reply was that they would talk at work the next day.

It was the next day and he was making coffee when Vic approached him. Her eyes looked slightly red and puffy like she’d been crying.

“I think Lucas is going to divorce me soon,” she said quietly as Travis stared at her in shock. He wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing so he accidentally poured the hot coffee all over his hand.

“What?! Ow!” he yelped.

“Oh shit, I didn’t mean for you to burn yourself with scalding hot coffee. Sorry Travis,” she walked over to where he was standing as he put his hand underneath the cold water with Vic looking apologetically at him.

“I don’t understand. I thought you two were done with your toilet paper marriage and ready for something real. I thought things were good between you two. That you two were ready to stop being secretly in love with each other and more of a "live out loud, show your love off in public" kind of thing. What happened?” He asked as he wrapped a cold, wet dishcloth around his hand.

“I think he found someone else,” Vic sobbed.

“Wait what? Why would you think that?”

“It really doesn’t matter. Fact is that I waited too long to tell him how I feel and he found someone else in the meantime.”

“Vic, you two have been together for months and whoever that other person is, if there actually is another person, he just met her. He wouldn’t throw away months with you for someone else. Trust me!”

“He called her  _ the _ one,” Vic replied and Travis grimaced. “See! Maybe I should just walk away from him while I still can,” she suggested and he shook his head.

“Like that’s an option when you are totally in love with the guy. Are you really considering this? I mean we are not talking about a piece-of-paper break up here. It’s called divorce,” Vic sighed. “Is that really what you want?”

“Well, I want -- I want Lucas because I love him and I don’t want to just give him up but I also don’t want to be married to him if he doesn’t want to be married to me.”

“You don’t know what he wants because you two still haven’t talked to each other,” she shook her head. “See! You need to talk to him. When is he coming home?”

“Today,” she responded and it broke Travis’ heart to see her like that. He knew how much Lucas meant to her and he was certain that his boss felt the same way about his best friend.

“Okay, then I suggest you talk to him and just tell him how you feel because I’m convinced that he feels the same way and whatever that thing is you think you heard him say is probably some misunderstanding. Don’t just walk away without an explanation. Not when you really love him and I know you do,” she nodded and hugged him.

“Thank you, Trav,” she snuggled into him as he wrapped his arms around her.

“You’re welcome, Vic,” he kissed her forehead before tightening his arms around her, just holding her.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas didn’t want to interrupt Vic during her shift, so he didn’t call but he did call her afterwards. He didn’t think much of it when she didn’t pick up. He figured that she was probably with Travis and didn’t want to bother them. He knew how important Travis was to her and was glad that their friendship was back on track. 

He didn’t get much free time the next day to call or text her and when the seminar was finally over he was just too tired and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

It was finally Tuesday and he had been so tired last night that he had slept in which he usually never did. He checked his watch and realized that Vic was already at work so he quickly texted her, instead of calling, that he couldn’t wait to come home because he needed to talk to her about something important. 

He slowly got out of bed, showered and headed downstairs for breakfast before packing his things and leaving the hotel. He bought a couple of presents for Vic, his sister and the Sullivans at the airport before boarding his plane. He was just glad to finally fly home. He hated being away from his wife and he couldn’t wait to finally tell her that he loved her. He had waited long enough and was finally done waiting. He needed her to know. 

He had also met with his lawyer a few days ago, telling him about the new development in their relationship and to not bother setting up divorce papers again. Jim had just laughed and told him that he knew that this would happen. Lucas also made sure to change his will to include Vic and their future children in it. He was all in and he wanted her to know that. He knew that it was a bit premature since they hadn’t talked about any of this yet but he also knew in his heart that she loved him too and was all in.

He smiled when the plane finally took off. He couldn’t wait to be reunited with the love of his life.  
  


* * *

  
Vic’s day was going rather slow, so she distracted herself by cleaning the station, much to everyone’s surprise since she usually wasn’t the one to volunteer. She checked the time and realized that Lucas was already on his way back. She had received a text from him in the morning saying that he had something important he needed to talk to her about and she was dreading that talk. What if it wasn’t a misunderstanding and he had really found someone that was better suited for him? Someone that wasn’t so much younger? Someone who didn’t work for him? She wasn’t sure what she would do if Lucas really told her that he had found someone else. She knew the saying was “if you love someone you set them free” but could she do that? Could she actually give up the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with? She wouldn’t just lose the love of her life but also her home and would she be able to work under him after everything that had happened between them? She was about to lose everything.

She stopped cleaning to help Dean with lunch and ate with her team before going back to cleaning the bathroom. Her team must have noticed that she was in a weird mood because they left her alone or maybe Travis told them not to bother her. Either way she was glad that she didn’t have to explain anything to them. They wouldn’t understand it because they didn’t know the truth.

She was finishing up with the bathroom when the klaxon went off to announce a structure fire at the Crossroads Strip Mall. Vic jumped up enthusiastically.

“Finally,” she exhaled and ran downstairs to put on her turnouts and then they were on their way to the mall. She was looking forward to a call all day long. Not that she wished anyone to die but she was going out of her mind cleaning the station which wasn’t half as exciting as getting her hands dirty during a fire. She was looking forward to that.

When they arrived at the scene, the police were already there. Vic listened as the captain gave them instructions when she spotted a familiar car, Lucas’ car. She looked around but he was nowhere to be found. 

_ What was he doing here? _ , she wondered. She started looking for him, in the distance she could hear Captain Herrera shouting her name but she ignored him. She needed to find Lucas.

She spotted Ryan and one of his colleagues. “Ryan, where is the Chief?” He looked at her in confusion. “Tanner, where the hell is my husband?” She yelled this time and he just pointed towards the burning strip mall.

“The Chief was the one who called it in. He saw it on his way home and stopped to help,” Ryan explained.

“Did he have his gear on?” Ryan shook his head. “Dammit, I’m going to kill him,” Vic cursed. “How long has he been in there?” She wanted to know.

“A few minutes. I wanted to come with him but he gave me orders to stay here and wait for you guys. He didn’t hesitate to run inside when he heard that there were children in there.” Of course he would run in for kids. That was one of the reasons she loved him so much but right now all she wanted was for him to come out already.

She turned around and was frozen in place. She wanted to help her team or run into the building herself but she couldn’t move. All she could do was stare at the door. 

“Come on, come on, come on. Where the hell is he? Why is he still in there?” She chanted over and over again. It was getting harder and harder to breath. He was in there without any protection and Vic was starting to panic. She needed to get her breathing under control or they would have to take care of her as well.

“Come on, come on, come on,” she chanted again,tears in her eyes, when he finally emerged with two kids in his arms. Her lungs finally filled with air again as she watched Dean take the kids from his arms while he gave Jack, Travis and Maya instructions. She watched her friends run into the strip mall while Lucas tried to catch his breath. He finally looked up and spotted her and smiled tiredly. His clothes and face were covered in dirt and soot while his hair was messy and full of ash but his eyes were as blue as she remembered them. Vic slowly walked over to where he was standing and took his hand in hers and walked him to the aid car.

“You could have died in there,” she reprimanded him.  
  
“But I didn't,” he countered and she groaned.

“But you could have.”

“I had other plans,” he replied while smirking and Vic wanted to wipe it off his face. The nerve this man had.  
  
“Oh, okay. Okay, you and I -- we are risk-taking, fire-chasing, out-of-our-mind weirdos. You know that, right? That's -- That's us,” he nodded at her while still smirking. “Yeah, so staying married for "practical" reasons, to circumvent the rules, to cheat the system and keep our jobs, that is not, that's not us. I don't -- That's not me, anyway,” she babbled.

“Okay,” he said.  
  
“I don't want a toilet paper marriage,” she almost whispered.

“I don't...either?” He said, forehead furrowed, sounding confused, with his hands still on his hips.

“I don't want hearts or rainbows either. That's not what this is about for me. I don't think I-I don't think I realized quite how much 'til I was standing out here waiting for you to come running out of those doors, but I... I want all of it. I'm all in. I want something -- I want something real. I want that. I always thought that when I get married, if I get,” she sighed, “if I get married, I would have love and inspiration and respect, and most importantly that it would be real. And I think this must be the adrenaline talking 'cause I don't know what I'm saying, but, um... Damn it. Fine. Okay. Lucas Ripley, I’m in love with you for real,” she finally admitted and watched as his face went from confused to surprised and she realized what she had just said to him. “Oh, God. I just -- I just -- I just told you I love you and you met someone else,” she mumbled, ready to just walk away from him when he grabbed her arm and made her look at him.

“Met someone else? What are you talking about?” He asked confused.

“You don’t have to pretend. I heard that voicemail you left for Sully,” he chuckled and shook his head as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and played her said voicemail.

“You mean this one?” She nodded and looked at him sadly. He turned it off again and handed her the phone. “Look at the date it was recorded,” he told her and Vic looked at it and her eyes went wide in shock when she saw that the voicemail was from May 25th, the day they met and got married.

“You were talking about me,” the realization hit her like a ton of bricks as she looked up at him. “That’s how you felt about me even back then when you barely knew me?” He nodded.

“That’s how I still feel about you and how I will always feel about you. I’m in love with you too, Victoria Hughes.” Vic’s eyes filled with tears as she smiled at him, happy to finally hear those words from him.

“Don’t you mean, Victoria Ripley?” She teased and he chuckled. “I’m such an idiot. I accidentally heard the message and thought that I had waited too long to tell you how I feel about you and that you had found someone else. I thought I had lost you,” she sobbed.

“I’m sorry that I waited so long to tell you about this. I wanted to tell you the moment I remembered it but I was scared how you would react,” he explained.

“I think I would have been ecstatic to know that the man I loved thought of me as the one.”

“That’s not all. The message was meant for Sully but I was so drunk that I dialed Frankel’s number instead,” Vic looked at him in surprise. She had an idea where this was going.

“So, I guess Frankel didn’t give us the ultimatum because she cared about our jobs?” He shook his head. “It was because of that message,” he nodded.

“She also never intended to go to HR if we had chosen to get divorced,” he finally told her.

Vic huffed and shook her head before chuckling. He looked at her in surprise. “So, does this mean that we’ll have to name our first born Deb now?” She joked.

He laughed. “So you are not mad at me?”

She shook her head. “We wasted precious time and I don’t want to waste more time with being angry about this. It doesn’t matter why we stayed together just that we are together. I’m just glad that you are okay. That’s all that matters right now,” she smiled at him. “Can you say it again?”

He smiled as he put his arms around her and pulled her closer. “I love you, Victoria Ripley and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want everything with you,” he leaned in and kissed her. She kissed him back before pulling away and just gazing into his beautiful eyes.

“I love you, too. So much,” he smiled before starting to cough. “Okay, sit down,” she ordered him and put an oxygen mask over his mouth. “Breath into this. No more talking.” 

He removed the mask and smiled at her. “You know, I’m still the Chief and your boss,” he reminded her, making her roll her eyes.  
  
“I’m the First Lady of the Fire Department and your wife which trumps everything else. So mask back on and shut up,” he laughed before doing as told. “Good boy,” she smirked. “Stay here. I’ll be right back,” he nodded as she went looking for Captain Herrera.

“Hughes,” he called out when she finally found him. “How is the Chief?” It surprised Vic that he looked worried and not upset with her.

“He is an idiot for running into the building without his gear on but otherwise he seems fine,” her captain nodded. “I wanted to apologize for just running off but when I saw Lucas’ car I just needed to find him and I know that it was unprofessional but...”

“You love him,” she nodded. “I get it, Hughes. Look we have everything under control here. How about you drive Chief Ripley to the hospital and have him checked out,” he suggested and Vic nodded.

“Thank you, Captain.”

“I’m just glad that he is okay,” he told her before walking away.

“Hey Vic, is everything okay with Lucas?” Travis asked as he approached her and she nodded. 

“I told him that I love him,” she blurted out, making Travis grin like a fool. “Stop rubbing all your hearts and rainbows all over me. And stop all your stupid smiling,” she told him as she beamed herself. 

“What about that other woman?” He asked and Vic felt herself blush in embarrassment.

“You were right, I misunderstood. He was talking about me,” she chuckled while he gave her a confused look. “I’ll explain everything later. I have to get Lucas to the hospital to get him checked out. He inhaled a lot of smoke and I want to make sure he is okay,” Travis nodded. 

“Do you need me to come with you?” She shook her head. “Okay! Call me if you need anything,” Vic nodded. “I love you,” he quickly added and hugged her. 

“I love you too, Travis,” she replied before letting go off him.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas watched as Vic walked away and smiled into the oxygen mask. He had finally told her about his feelings and about the voicemail and Frankel and everything was good. He couldn’t wait to start his life with her for real instead of it being a toilet paper marriage. He shook his head at that term, probably something that Travis came up with. 

Vic had been right when she said that they had wasted precious time but that was over now. He wouldn’t waste a single second with her. He would make every single second with her count. 

He could wait to get home and show her how much he loved her but first he needed to get himself checked out at the hospital. He inhaled deeply, feeling his lungs fill with oxygen. He knew that running into the burning strip mall without his gear on was a stupid thing but when he heard the kids screaming he had no choice. He just couldn’t wait and let them die. It was the one thing that would make him throw protocol over board and do something reckless and stupid like go into a burning building without any protection but everything turned out okay in the end. 

He watched as his people worked tirelessly and he couldn’t be more proud of them. He knew that there was no saving the strip mall so all they could do was watch as it burn to the ground. He wondered if they had managed to get everyone out or if there had been any casualties. He should probably find out as the Chief. It was his job after all. He stood up, dropped the mask and was about to ask someone when he started coughing again. Lightly at first and then louder and more violently. He put the oxygen mask back on but had difficulties breathing even with it on. He could feel himself getting dizzy. He held onto the aid car door when suddenly his legs gave out and he dropped to the ground and everything went black.  
  


* * *

  
She was on her way back to her husband, thinking about all the things she would do to him once they came home after the hospital visit and smiled. She was so happy, she felt like she was walking on clouds until she noticed someone lying on the ground next to the aid car and Ryan doing CPR. The cloud she was walking on had suddenly disappeared and it felt like she was falling into the abyss as she walked closer and realized that Lucas was unconscious on the ground.

“What the hell happened?” She yelled.

“I don’t know. I could hear him coughing and when I turned around he was on the ground. I immediately ran over and checked for his pulse before starting CPR. I don’t think he is breathing,” he assessed.

Vic tried to stay calm and not freeze like she did earlier. She needed her head in the game. She took a deep breath before turning to Ryan. “Okay, help me get him on the gurney and then drive us to the hospital,” she instructed.

He nodded and they loaded him into the aid car. Vic continued with the chest compressions while Ryan started the engine and drove them to the next hospital. 

Vic prayed that he would be okay. He couldn’t die when they had just confessed their love to each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only thing that stayed the way I had it planned from the beginning was the love declaration. I wanted it to be the proposal with a twist. I hope you like that.
> 
> I'm also sorry for how the chapter ended. I promise that I won't kill off Lucas Ripley.


	19. Is this goodbye?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic is having a hard time dealing with Lucas being in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick thank you for everyone who is reading this story and still enjoying it. Thanks everyone for leaving kudos and comments. It's always good to know what you guys like or don't like. Feedback is always great.
> 
> I will say sorry in advance for this chapter. It will make you cry, so make sure to have tissues nearby.

The doctors had thrown Vic out of the room because she was getting hysterical and screaming at them to do their jobs and now she was pacing the hall, waiting for an update on her husband. She was shaking and no matter how much she tried, she just couldn’t seem to calm herself down because she was so worried and she had no idea what was going on. She sighed and looked at Ryan as he came back with a bottle of water and handed it to her. She took it and nodded her head at him, thanking him silently.

“Do you need me to call someone for you?” He asked and Vic just pulled out her phone and handed it to him.

“Please call his sister Jennifer, his friends the Sullivans which is either Claire or Sully. Please also call Travis. He is probably still at the strip mall but he should know what’s going on,” she instructed as Ryan nodded. “Oh and please call Chief Frankel as well,” she added as he nodded again and turned around. “Ryan?” He stopped and turned back around to look at her. “Thank you,” she sniffed.

He smiled. “He’s going to be okay,” he assured her as she smiled weakly and hoped that he was right. “I’ll be right back,” he said before walking away.

Vic sighed, opened the bottle of water and drank. She chuckled as she thought about Lucas and how he would probably tell her to stay hydrated. The last thing he needed right now was for her to pass out as well, so she made sure to drink. She stopped pacing and sat down in one of the chairs when she realized that she was still wearing her turnouts and quickly shed them as she was getting too hot. She put them aside and just waited.

“What is taking them so long?” She mumbled, willing her mind to not go into worst case scenario mode. She needed to stay positive. She couldn’t think the worst. They had just admitted their love for each other. This couldn't be the end to their story when there were still so many firsts for them to experience together. When there was still an entire life to spend together.

Vic put her head in her hands and just let the tears fall. She couldn’t even be mad at Lucas for what he did because she would have done the same. That was the kind of people they were, risk-taking, fire-chasing, out-of-our-mind weirdos and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

She wiped at her eyes when she heard footsteps and someone sit down beside her.

“They are on their way,” Ryan said as Vic straightened up to look at him. He smiled and handed her back the phone.

“Thank you for everything. You don’t have to stay here. You probably have to get back to work.”

“Don’t worry about it. I talked to my sergeant and he told me to keep him in the loop. He is friends with your husband,” he explained when Vic looked at him curiously. “Have you heard anything yet?” She shook her head as he put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. Vic didn’t know Ryan all that well but she was glad he was there. He was supportive without being overbearing.

“Thank you for being here,” he nodded at her.

“Mrs. Ripley?” She heard and instantly jumped up. “Hello, I’m Dr. Maggie Pierce. I’m treating your husband.”

“Is he alive?”

“Yes.” Vic sighed in relief. “The first thing he asked for when he regained consciousness was you,” the doctor told her and it warmed Vic’s heart that he was thinking about her even now. “We are giving him pure oxygen through a mask but I fear that won’t be enough. He is suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, so we will need to start with hyperbaric oxygen therapy right away. The air pressure is about two to three times higher than normal which will speed the replacement of carbon monoxide with oxygen in his blood. It can take up to six hours,” Vic listened carefully and nodded. “I’m still waiting for some results but for now the carbon monoxide poisoning is our main concern. Once we have dealt with that, we will deal with the other thing.”

“What other thing?” She asked worried.

“Well, some of his symptoms are consistent with aortic valve stenosis. Like I said I'm still waiting on the results and we will have to run some more tests after his treatment.”

“That’s a heart problem, right?” Dr. Pierce nodded. “What happens if he has that?”

“Then I will need to remove the damaged valve and replace it. But first things first. We need to get the carbon monoxide out of his body and then we can talk about the rest,” Vic nodded. “As I said before he is asking for you, so why don’t I take you to see him before he has to go into the oxygen chamber.”

Vic turned around to look at Ryan. “I’ll wait here for your family and let them know what’s going on.” he told her. Vic smiled at him before following Dr. Pierce into Lucas’ room.

Her heart constricted when she saw him lying there with all the tubes and wires and machines. His skin was pale, the lines on his face seemed deeper than before making him look older than usual. He looked so fragile that it scared Vic to touch him, afraid that he would break. He opened his eyes and smiled at her, his hand reaching for the oxygen mask.

“If you remove that mask I will glue it onto your face,” she warned him, making him chuckle and then cough. 

“I’m sorry, Eggy. I messed it all up,” she shook her head.

“You didn't mess anything up,” she told him. “You saved those kids and I love you for that,” he closed his eyes. “Do you hear me, Lucas Ripley? I love you,” she repeated as he opened his eyes again and smiled at her.

“I love you, too, Victoria,” she smiled at him before leaning down and kissing his cheek. “Everything will be okay. I promise.” He squeezed her hand and Vic squeezed back.

“I’m sorry but we really have to get him into the oxygen chamber now,” the doctor interrupted them.

“I’ll be here waiting for you. Don’t you dare do anything stupid like leave me,” she said, making him smile.

“You ain’t getting rid of me that easily. You are stuck with me,” he replied.

“There’s no one I’d rather be stuck with,” she kissed his cheek again and watched as the doctors wheeled him away.

She walked back to where she was sitting before to find Ryan and her turnouts gone and Frankel there instead. Vic almost didn’t recognize her. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a Beatles shirt. Her hair that was usually pulled back into a tight bun was loose, red curls spilling from her head. Vic did a double take because she looked so different.

“I told him to take your stuff to the aid car outside,” she explained.

“Thank you coming,” Frankel gave her a tight smile.

“Of course. How is he?”

“He’s alive. They are putting him in an oxygen chamber to treat the carbon monoxide poisoning and Dr. Pierce thinks that he may have aortic valve stenosis, so he may need surgery,” Vic said as her eyes started to water again. “Lucas told me what you did,” she said and Frankel hung her head in shame.

“I know what I did was...” her superior started but Vic cut her off.

“Thank you,” she looked up in surprise. “I would have walked away and never looked back. I mean sure I was attracted to him because he is really handsome and I’m not blind but I still would have walked away,” Vic wiped her eyes. “I don’t know whether I would have ever remembered anything from that night in Vegas or maybe wondered what could have been but I’m glad that I don’t have to wonder about that because I do have him in my life and it’s because of what you did. So, thank you,” Vic said as she sobbed. “I just hope that I’m not going to lose him. I just can’t lose him.”

Frankel took a step forward and put her arms around her and just let her cry on her shoulder.

“He’s going to be okay. If I know one thing about Lucas Ripley it’s that he is a fighter. Well and that he loves you. Probably has since the first time you set him on fire,” she joked and Vic chuckled.

“He told you about that?”

“Oh yes. Both times,” she snickered.

“Hey Vic, I came as fast as I could,” she suddenly heard Travis behind her. She turned and looked at her best friend who stared past her at Frankel. “Chief Frankel? Did I enter the twilight zone?” He asked, earning himself a glare from the older woman. “I’m sorry.”

Vic rolled her eyes at him before turning back around. “Thank you, Chief Frankel.”

She smiled. “You can call me Deb,“ Vic looked surprised. “Outside of work, of course,” she added.

“Of course,” Vic replied.

“I’ll go and grab you some coffee and something to eat,” she said.

“I don’t think I can eat anything.”

“I know but you need to eat to keep your strength up. Lucas will need you to be strong for him.” Vic knew that she was right and nodded, thanking her before she walked away.

“Looks like you have a new best friend now,” he said as Vic gave him a look before falling into his arms. “But I guess she is our friend now since Vicley was her doing.”

Vic pulled away and looked at him confused. “Vicley?”

“Yours and Ripley’s shipper name. You know like Bennifer or Brangelina,” he explained as Vic looked at him unamused. “What you don’t like it?”

“Did you just come up with that?” He shook his head. “You really need a boyfriend,” Travis chuckled and nodded in agreement.

“So, how is he doing?”

“Um, okay. I will give you all the updates but I gotta go use the restroom first. Jennifer and the others should be here soon. I’ll tell you all together.”

“Okay.”

“Where is the rest of the team?”

“Oh, they were called to another scene. Captain let me go because he thought I should be here for you.”

“That’s nice of him,” she smiled. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Vic stumbled through the hospital until she found the restroom. She walked inside and looked into the mirror, her own reflection scaring her. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were puffy and swollen and her skin looked rather pale. She rested her hands on the sink, closed her eyes, took a deep breath and dropped her head. When she opened her eyes again, she caught sight of her wedding band and it was the first time in a long time that she was aware of it. She had been wearing it for so long that it had become a part of her body. She never thought much about it until now. She thought about how the ring was a symbol of their love and then she just lost it. She fell to her knees and started sobbing uncontrollably. Her arms were on the sink, her forehead leaning against them while she cried and cried until there were no more tears left to shed. Vic didn’t know how long she just kneeled there and cried but she felt lighter afterwards. She took a deep breath and slowly stood up. She had to hold on to the sink so she wouldn’t fall because her legs were so shaky. She looked into the mirror again and sighed before washing her face, taking another deep breath and then leaving the bathroom.

She walked back to Travis to find Jennifer and the Sullivans already there looking concerned. Jennifer entangled herself from Claire’s embrace and ran towards her to pull her in a tight hug, sobbing into her shoulder. Vic let her cry for a moment before pulling away and wiping away Jennifer’s tears.

“Are you okay? You’ve been gone for a while.” Travis asked and Vic nodded.  
  
“Yeah, sorry I needed a moment. I will explain everything. Let us sit down.”

“No need. Dr. Pierce was just here and explained everything,” Claire informed her.

“Are there any news?” Vic asked hopeful but her friend shook her head. 

“She said it would take hours before she could give us any updates.”

“What about the test results?”

“Still inconclusive. She will do more tests when he is out of the chamber,” Claire said.

“So all we can do is sit and wait?”

“No, Officer Tanner told me to bring you a change of clothes, so you will go and change and then you will eat something. Deb brought you sandwiches and coffee. And then we will all wait here like a family,” Claire said as she took Vic in her arms. “Okay?” Vic nodded, took the bag with the clean clothes and disappeared into the bathroom again to change before walking back to her family.

She sat down and took one of the sandwiches, thinking that she wouldn’t be able to eat anything but before she knew it she had eaten all 3 sandwiches and everyone stared at her.

“I’m not pregnant if you were thinking that,” she told them and they laughed. “I guess I was just hungrier than I realized.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Claire squeezed her hand. 

“I love Lucas,” she blurted out and everyone looked up at her and smiled.

“We know,” they said in unison.

“No, I mean I told him,” everyone but Travis stared at her in shock and surprise before breaking out into a smile.

“Finally! It was about time,” Jennifer said and Vic told them the story about the voicemail and the misunderstanding. Everyone just shook their head at her, telling her how ridiculous she was for believing that Lucas could want anyone but her and she realized that indeed she was a fool for thinking that.

“What if...” she started but Claire shushed her.

“Hey, no talking nonsense now. Luke will be okay,” Vic nodded and smiled at her.

“You’re right. He will be okay. I'm just scared.”

“I'd be worried if you weren't,” Vic yawned. “You should get some rest. Come on,” Claire patted her lap and Vic laid her head down on it and exhaled. Claire’s fingers started playing with the loose strands of her hair while singing softly to her, a song that Vic didn’t recognize but it was soothing and soon she was asleep.

She woke up with a start, still in Claire’s lap who was asleep as well. She looked around and realized that everyone was sleeping. Sully was sitting in a chair with Bobby Jr. sleeping soundly in his lap while Travis was asleep with Jennifer in his arms. Frankel was in a corner by herself but looked just as peaceful as the rest.

Vic straightened up and looked at her watch. She had been asleep for a couple of hours. Lucas should be done with his therapy soon. She stood up and walked to the cafeteria to get coffee for the adults and juice for Claire and Bobby Jr and some food.

She smiled as she walked back and thought about Lucas and how she couldn’t wait to kiss and hug him. Everyone was still asleep when she returned. She was about to put the food and drinks down on one of the chairs when she heard her name being called.

“Mrs. Ripley?” She turned around to find Dr. Pierce standing in front of her, her expression blank. Vic just started shaking her head as she looked at the doctor trying to form the words. “The poisoning was more severe than we thought and it took a toll on his weakened heart. We did everything in our power but we couldn’t save your husband.”

“What?” Vic exhaled.

“I’m really sorry, Mrs. Ripley, but he died,” Dr. Pierce said sincerely as Vic dropped the drinks, hot coffee spilling all over the floor before falling to her knees and crying out in agony while clutching her chest because her heart was breaking. He was supposed to be okay. He was supposed to live so they could start their lives together. Why was this happening?

She felt someone shaking her and repeating her name over and over. “Vic, Vic,” but she ignored it. “Vic, you have to wake up. Come on, Vic. Wake up!”

Her eyes finally flew open and she was staring into her best friends concerned face who was kneeling in front of her. She exhaled sharply and tried to catch her breath.

She sat up and realized that everyone was awake and staring at her with worry.

“Vic, breathe. It was all just a dream.” 

She nodded and stood up on wobbly legs. “I’m sorry. I need a moment,” she said before she ran off. She knew she had seen a chapel somewhere and even though she wasn’t really the religious type she felt like that’s where she needed to be right now.

When she finally found it, she walked in. She sighed in relief when she found it to be empty and sat down.

“Where do I even start? I probably shouldn’t even be here. I don’t really pray and it’s probably wrong to do it now just because I need something but I just I can’t lose him. It took me way too long to realize it but he is my person. I want to be with him for the rest of my life. I want us to grow old together and have a family. He makes me so happy and he is that missing piece in my life that I didn’t even realize I was missing but now that I have him, I just don’t want to give him up. I don’t know how to give him up. I need him in my life. I know we started this all wrong but I promise that it’s real and I love him. God, I love him so much. Please, don’t take him away from me,” she was crying when she finished. “Thank you,” she added and just sat there a little while longer before standing up and going to the cafeteria like in her dream.

When she returned to them, Travis was pacing but stopped as soon as he saw her and pulled her into his arms, almost spilling the coffee. “Are you okay?” She just nodded against his shoulder as Jennifer took the food and drinks and set them down on a chair.

“I’m so sorry guys for freaking you out. The dream felt so real. I just...”

“Mrs. Ripley?” She heard the doctor, inhaling sharply she turned around and looked at her but unlike in her dream she looked hopeful and was smiling.

“I know you have been waiting here for hours and that it has taken longer than we thought but we needed to act fast. I redid the tests and your husband did have aortic valve stenosis. He agreed to do the surgery right after his oxygen therapy and I’m happy to say that I successfully replaced the valve and that we got the carbon monoxide poisoning under control and that your husband will be fine,” Vic listened to her and it was like a weight had been lifted off her chest and she was finally able to breathe again. Vic pulled the doctor into a bone crushing hug, thanking her over and over again before releasing her again and apologizing. “It’s okay. I understand.”

“How long does he have to stay in the hospital?” She asked.

“He is going to be in the ICU for a few days before we can move him and then he will probably be here for another week or so. The recovery can take a few weeks, maybe even months and he will need someone to take care of him at home for the first couple of weeks,” Vic listened and nodded. She didn’t mind if she had to stay with him for months as long as he was okay. “But your husband is strong and there weren’t any complications during the therapy or surgery, so I’m very confident that he will be back to normal in no time.”

“Um, can we see him?” Claire asked from behind Vic.

“Are you all family?” Dr. Pierce asked.

Vic didn’t hesitate. “Yes, they are,” she answered confidently. 

“Okay, I recommend one at a time but just so you know he is still sedated and he is intubated.”

“That’s okay. We just want to see him,” Sully spoke.

“Vic, do you want to go first?” Jennifer asked and Vic shook her head.

“You guys can go first. I can’t right now. I just need a moment,” her sister-in-law nodded before hugging her and then following the doctor to see Lucas.

Vic turned around and watched as Sully and Claire hugged while Travis hugged her. She glanced at Frankel who wiped the tears from her eyes and looked relieved. Vic entangled herself from Travis and walked over to her.

“I’m glad that he’s gonna be okay,” she said. “I need to go,” she made a move to leave but Vic grabbed her hand.

“I meant it when I said that everyone here is family. You don’t have to go.”

“I know, Hughes but I do actually have to go and take care of things. Luke will be out of office for weeks, maybe even months, someone has to take over for him in the meantime. I just want to make sure that it’s someone who actually knows what he is doing and not some schmuck.”

Vic nodded. “Thank you, Deb,” she hugged her and Frankel hugged her back.

“You’re welcome, Victoria,” she smiled. “Take care of him and tell him that I’m glad that he is okay.”

“I will.” 

She said goodbye to Frankel and waited her turn to go see Lucas.    
  


* * *

  
Jennifer walked into her brother’s room and inhaled sharply at the sight of him. She had never seen him like that. He was always the strong one. When their parents died, he was her rock, taking care of her, raising her. He didn’t complain about it once even when his marriage fell apart. She knew that it wasn’t her fault but she still blamed herself in some way. She sat down on a chair next to his bed and took his big hand into hers, caressing it.

“I was so worried about you. When Ryan called me it felt like that day when we found out about mom and dad and I just couldn’t breathe,” she wiped her eyes. “I’m so glad that you are okay. I don’t know what I would do without you,” she kissed his hand and cried quietly.

“I love you, big brother,” she said and sat with him for a little while longer before standing up and going back to Vic and the others. 

“Who wants to go next?” She asked and Robert nodded while Claire took care of their sleeping son.   
  


* * *

  
Robert walked into his best friends room and it wasn’t easy. It never was. He had seen many colleagues and friends die on the job but Luke was more. Lucas Ripley was his brother. He was his family.

“Hey buddy, I don’t know what to say. I’m just so glad that you are alive. You know that this was not the plan,” he chuckled. “The plan was to grow old together with our wives by our side and to have a bunch of kids that would grow up to be best friends. Nowhere in that plan does it say that you are allowed to check out early,” he sighed. “Just don’t do anything stupid like that again,” he squeezed his best friend’s hand and stayed a few more minutes, just talking to him and joking about their rookie days before leaving and letting his wife go to see him.   
  


* * *

  
Claire walked into his room and sighed as she saw him. She sat down and grabbed his hand, bringing it to her lips to kiss his palm.

“You scared us so much. Bobby Jr. was a mess and I think the little one in my belly knew there was something wrong. She already loves her godfather so much and she doesn’t even know him,” she started crying. “I’m glad that you are going to be fine because you have a whole life ahead of you with that gorgeous wife of yours who loves you so much. She was going out of her mind because she thought that she had lost you,” Claire smiled. “I’m so happy that you two idiots finally got your act together and realized how perfect you are for each other and how happy you make each other. That’s all I ever wanted for you, Luke and I’m glad you finally have it,” she kissed his hand again and left.

“Vic, I hope you don’t mind that we are going home. It’s late and Bobby Jr. needs to rest and so do I,” she explained and hugged her friend.

“Don’t worry about it, Claire. Thank you for being here.”

“Of course, honey. We’ll be back tomorrow,” she kissed her cheek and left with her family.   
  


* * *

  
“Vic, do you mind if I go in to see Lucas?” Travis asked.

She smiled. “Of course not.”

Travis hugged his best friend before walking into her husband’s room.

“Hey Lucas, you know I still remember when Michael died and how you were there for me. I mean, you are the Chief and you really didn’t have to but you were and then you did the eulogy for my husband and it meant the world to me. I knew in that moment that you were a standup guy and that’s why I was supportive of you and Vic from the beginning. I’m glad that you two found each other and that I don’t share the same loss as my best friend. I don’t think Vic would have been able to get over losing you. It would have broken her. Thank you for not giving up and for loving her and making her happy. She deserves it more than anyone else.”   
  


* * *

  
Vic watched as her best friend exited Lucas’ room and smiled at him.

“It’s your turn, Vic,” she nodded. 

“You know you two can go home too. Get some rest and I will call you when he wakes up,” she told them.

“But I want to stay here,” Jennifer started protesting while yawning at the same time, making Vic chuckle.

“Yeah, you are out. You two go home and I will call you,” she ordered. “I promise,” she added.

“Are you sure?” her best friend asked.

“Yes, I’ll stay here with Lucas. They will have to throw me out,” she joked.

“Okay,” Jennifer gave in and hugged her. “I love you, Vic. Thank you for being there for my brother,” she kissed her cheek.

“I love you, too, Jennifer,” she turned around and hugged Travis. “And I love you. Thank you for being here for me and Lucas. It means the world to me.”

“You know I’ll always be here for you. You are my family and so is the guy in there,” he smiled.

She said goodbye to them and took a deep breath before walking into Lucas’ room. She smiled relieved when she saw him. He was no longer pale but intubated. His heartbeat was strong though. She sat down and took his warm hand into hers and held it against her cheek before closing her eyes.

“You took me completely by surprise. Never in a million years did I expect to fall in love with anyone let alone fall in love with you but I did and you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than when I’m with you. We are so different yet so much alike and you understand me like no one else does. I think the reason I never wanted to fall in love with anyone is this right here. The fear that when you find that special person that they can be ripped away from you and all you are left with are memories and heartbreak but you didn’t leave me. You are still here,” she smiled as she kissed his palm. “Thank you for not giving up. I love you, Lucas Ripley and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” 

She closed her eyes and caressed his hand until she felt it move against hers and her eyes flew open. She watched as Lucas’ eyes fluttered open slowly and he tried to adjust to the brightness of the room before his eyes settled on her.

“You’re awake,” she whispered with a smile on her lips while caressing his cheek before kissing it. “I’m so glad you’re finally awake.” 

She pressed the nurse call button and a nurse appeared a moment later.

“Can you tell Dr. Pierce that my husband is awake, please?” she asked as the nurse nodded and disappeared again.

She watched as Lucas struggled with the tube in his throat. “Don’t worry, babe. The doctor will be here soon. She’s gonna take care of it,” she assured him and he stopped and nodded. 

“Look who’s finally awake,” Dr. Pierce walked in, smiling. “Should we try and extubate you?” Lucas nodded slowly.

She watched as Dr. Pierce and a nurse extubated Lucas. He coughed a little bit before looking at her and quietly whispering her name. Vic couldn’t help but smile at him.

The doctor explained a few things to them before leaving them alone.

“I love you, Vic,” she heard him whisper and leaned forward, touching their foreheads together and whispered those words back at him before kissing his lips.

“I missed you,” she told him while caressing his cheek and gazing into his eyes. His blue eyes clear, staring into her soul.

“I missed you, too,” he coughed.

“I think you should rest,” she said as she tried to move away from the bed but he gripped her hand in his. I’m not going anywhere. I was just trying to get the second chair so I can sleep next to you,” she explained but he shook his hand and patted the empty space next to him. “Dr. Pierce will kill me if I crawl into bed with you.”

“Don’t worry, she won’t. I just want you in my arms, please, Vic,” he begged and Vic couldn’t say no.

She carefully climbed into bed with him, trying her best not to hurt him. “Is this okay?” She asked and he nodded. She rested her head on his shoulder as he kissed her forehead before they both fell asleep, dreaming of a future together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had you there for a moment, didn't I?
> 
> That's why I apologized in advance. You know I would never let anything happen to Lucas. I ain't an idiot like those writers who got rid of the best thing they had going on that show.


	20. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas celebrates his birthday in the hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long with updating. I was away for the weekend and didn't get to write. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think.

Lucas woke up in the middle of the night and looked down to find Vic still peacefully sleeping on his shoulder. He smiled as he remembered every single word she had said while he was sedated. He had never been so close to dying before and he had been scared that it would be it but Vic gave him the strength he needed to pull through. She brought him back and he would spend the rest of his life making sure she knew just how much she meant to him.

He heard someone clear their throat quietly and looked up to find Dr. Pierce standing by the door, with a scowl on her face.

“I know she shouldn’t be in bed with me but I just...” he sighed. “I just needed her close to me and I’m fine,” she raised an eyebrow. “I really am. I was given a second chance at life and I’m not gonna waste any second of it.”

“You can hold her all you want when you get home but not in here. This is a hospital and not a motel.”

“Come on, doc. Have you ever been in love?”

She huffed. “Okay. Just for tonight. I don’t want to see her in your bed again. Do you understand me?” Lucas nodded. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m good. Great actually because she is here with me.”

“You are such a sap,” Dr. Pierce rolled her eyes at him.

“I am for her. She is my life.”

“Well good thing that it appears that you are her life as well.”

“Dammit, he is,” Vic suddenly muttered before opening her eyes and looking up at him. “Are you okay?” She asked, ignoring the doctor.

“I am, my love,” he said before kissing her forehead. He turned his head towards the doctor. “I forgot to ask earlier. Do you happen to know if there were any casualties from the strip mall fire from last night?”

She closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and Lucas knew there was. He just hoped that it wasn’t one of the kids.

“Only one. A young father. Everyone else is fine,” she told him and he sighed in relief. His heart broke for the family that lost the father but he was glad that everyone else made it out alive.

“Thank you, Dr. Pierce.”

“You’re welcome,” she looked between them. “I will ignore that,” she pointed between them in bed, ”for tonight but I don’t want you in bed together. You need to heal, Chief Ripley.”

“I am. She is the best medicine you could prescribe me,” he joked and Vic rolled her eyes at him.

“You are so cheesy,” she giggled.

“Yet you still love me,” he smiled.

“Hm, do I? I’m not so sure anymore,” she joked, laughed and pretended to move away but he held her tight.

“I told you that you’re stuck with me, so no take backs now,” he smirked.

She smiled while kissing his lips. “Never.”

“I’m gonna go now because you two are giving me diabetes,” she turned to Vic, “you’re equally as bad as your husband by the way,” she said before walking out of the room.

Lucas looked at Vic and they both laughed.

“I love you, Victoria Ripley,” he made sure to use the right last name this time.

“I love you, too, Lucas Hughes,” she teased and he laughed. “Thank you for coming back to me.”

“I’ll always come back to you. I promise,” she said while she caressed his cheek.

“And I’ll always wait for you,” she answered before kissing his nose and then his lips. “It's time to stop talking now. It's late.”

“I'm wide awake,” he shook his head.

**“** Just go to sleep,” Vic said before snuggling back into his arms and closing her eyes. Lucas smiled, kissed her forehead and closed his eyes as well. He fell asleep with a big smile on his face.  
  


* * *

  
Travis came home from the hospital and smiled. Lucas was awake and he was talking, joking, smiling and completely head over heels in love with his best friend and Travis couldn’t be happier for them.

He remembered the day he had lost Michael and it was still the worst day of his entire life when he lost the love of his life. A pain that he didn’t wish on his worst enemy let alone his best friend. He was happy that she didn’t have to go through it. He was happy that Lucas was still alive and that they could live their lives together like they were supposed to.

He knew that they had only been together for a couple of months and had only realized their feelings for each other but Travis knew for sure that Lucas was it for Vic and vice versa. He knew that these two were meant to be. 

He opened the fridge and grabbed a beer before sitting down on his couch and dialing Maya.

“Hey Trav, what’s up?” 

“I just came home from the hospital and Lucas is getting out of the ICU tomorrow and it’s his birthday so I was thinking that maybe we should do something special for him and for Vic. She was so excited to celebrate it but I thínk with everything that’s happened she totally forgot about it.”

“What do you have in mind?” 

“I mean, we can’t do anything big but we can decorate his room and I already arranged something that I think both Vic and especially Lucas will appreciate.”

“What is it?” His friend asked curiously and Travis told Maya all about his plans.

 “Oh, that sounds amazing. He will love that.”

“Yeah. So, are you going to help me? I need the others there as well of course.”

“Of course I will help you,” she agreed. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How come you were always okay with them? I mean, he is our boss and he is older than her by a lot.”

“It’s funny you are asking because I was just thinking about it. They just kinda made sense to me from the very beginning and he is a good guy. I actually think everyone should have their very own Lucas Ripley. I just never really worried about it because I knew that he was a good guy and would make sure that Vic was happy and safe. Why do you ask?” He wondered.

“No reason.”

“Come on, Maya. Spit it out,” he was met with silence. “Maya?” 

“Okay, okay. I know the truth about them. Jennifer accidentally let it slip,” Travis sighed. “Don’t worry. No one else knows. I didn’t tell Andy.”

“I’m surprised because you tell Andy everything.”

“Yeah well, that was not my secret to tell. Jennifer felt bad enough for telling me and I wasn’t going to jeopardize our relationship.”

“I’m happy that you care so much about her and thanks for not telling anyone.”

“Did they really only now realize that they are in love?” Maya wondered.

“Yes. Those two idiots have been dancing around it for months.”

“They sold it well. I really thought that they were in love with each other when they first told us.”

“I think they connected in Vegas and felt some sort of attraction towards each other. They tried to deny it for the longest time until they couldn’t anymore,” he paused. “Maya, you can’t ever tell anyone about how they came to be.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t. I told you I don’t want to mess anything up with Jennifer or for Vic and Ripley. They do seem perfect for each other.”

“Yeah, they are,” Travis beamed and talked some more about the next day and what they wanted to do for Lucas before hanging up and getting back to planning. He really wanted Lucas’ birthday to be something special and he had just the perfect thing for it.  
  


* * *

  
Vic woke up on the morning of Lucas’ birthday and smiled as she looked at her husband, sleeping soundly in her arms. Vic tried sleeping in the chair but Lucas wanted her close to him and she wasn’t able to say no to him. The nurses just gave up because they knew they wouldn’t listen to them anyway. 

Vic traced the lines on his face with her fingertips until he slowly started to wake up.

“Hm, what are you doing?” He asked, his eyes still closed.

“Counting the lines on your face to determine your age,” she joked, making him chuckle and finally open his eyes. “Happy Birthday, Lucas!”

“Thank you, my love,” he replied and kissed her.

“I see you two are still breaking rules and protocol all over the place,” Dr. Pierce said as she walked into the room, shaking her head at them.

“It’s his birthday today. Have a heart,” Vic pouted, making her laugh.

“Well, happy birthday, Chief. You will have to disentangle from your wife for a few minutes so I can check your vitals and everything.”

Vic reluctantly got up from the bed. “I’m gonna go and grab some coffee and maybe freshen up a bit. I’ll be right back,” she quickly kissed him before leaving the room and heading towards the cafeteria. 

“Travis?” She asked as she bumped into her best friend who was holding balloons in one hand and a bag in the other. “What is all this?” She asked curiously.

“This,” he handed her the bag, “are some clothes for you to change into. You should look nice for your husband’s birthday,” Vic’s eyes soften.

“You remembered,” she smiled at him.

“Of course. I wanted to do something nice for him and for you. So we are going to decorate his room and stuff for when he gets moved from the ICU,” he explained.

“That’s really sweet, Travis. He’s going to love it,” she hugged him. “You’re an amazing best friend.”

“Don’t you ever forget that,” he teased, making her laugh.

“I’m gonna go, change and get some food. You go do all that and I’ll see you later. I love you, Travis,” she said, kissing his cheek before walking away.

She disappeared into one of the doctors locker rooms to use the shower there. Dr. Pierce had told her that she could use it when she realized that Vic wasn’t going to go home for as long as Lucas was in the hospital. 

Vic sighed as she removed her clothes before stepping into the shower. She groaned as the hot water hit her skin, letting it soothe her aching muscles. She had almost forgotten how good it felt. All she had done in the last couple of days was worry about Lucas that she totally forgot to take care of herself. She quickly finished and opened the bag that Travis had brought her and rolled her eyes when she discovered sexy lingerie and a dress inside with a note saying that it’s his birthday and he deserved to have something nice to look at.

_ He wasn’t wrong _ , Vic thought. 

She put on the underwear and dress, added some make up to her face and let her hair down. Lucas always loved it down because he loved running his fingers through it and Vic loved when he did that. She smiled into the mirror before leaving the locker room and making her way to the cafeteria to get something to eat and coffee.

She smiled when she returned to Lucas’ room and found him alone there. She walked in and watched him as his eyes went wide at the sight of her, feeling quite proud that she had that effect on him.

“Oh damn, it must be my birthday,” he joked as she laughed. “And you are the best present that I can’t wait to unwrap,” he smirked.

“The unwrapping will have to wait.”

“Oh come on, babe. It’s my birthday. Just show me what’s underneath that dress,” he begged while Vic licked her lips unable to resist him. “Lock the door,” he told her and she sighed before turning around to lock it. She paused for a moment before turning back around towards her hubby.

Vic slowly unbuttoned the top of her dress as she moved closer towards the bed before sitting down. She watched Lucas’ pupils dilate as he took her in. 

“Damn, that is my favorite set,” he said as he reached out and cupped one of her breasts, making Vic moan.

“You have to thank Travis for it. He brought me some clothes,” she smirked.

“Good man, I think I may have to promote him,” Vic burst out into laughter at that. “I love your laugh,” he smiled at her as his grip on her breast got a bit firmer, his thumb teasing her nipple over the red lace, driving Vic crazy.

“Lucas, you gotta stop because we can’t do anything.”

“I just wanna watch you,” he said as he tried to pull down her bra but Vic stopped him.

“We have to stop, babe. I promise once you are back home and fully recovered you can have your way with me wherever and whenever you want,” she wiggled her eyebrows as he pouted but nodded in agreement. She fixed her dress before leaning in to give him a kiss on the lips and then stood up to unlock the door.

“Since I’m not getting you naked, can we at least have breakfast together,” he asked still pouting and Vic couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“Stop pouting and yes let’s have breakfast before they finally move you out of the ICU,” Vic said as she grabbed her sandwich and coffee and sat next to him.

“Victoria?” She looked up at him. “I love you,” he simply said and Vic smiled.

“I love you, too, Lucas,” she replied.

They ate in comfortable silence, holding hands the entire time.  
  


* * *

  
Travis wanted to pat himself on the back for a job well done when he looked at Lucas’ hospital room that was decorated with a “Happy Birthday” banner and balloons. Everyone from 19 was there even Captain Herrera and of course Jennifer and the Sullivans were there as well and that special surprise that Travis was sure would touch his best friends husband immensely. 

“Travis, you have outdone yourself. Lucas will love this,” Jennifer smiled as she put down her present on the little table..

“What’s in there?” he asked curiously.

“You will have to wait for my brother to open it. I’m not telling.”

“Oh, come on. Give me a little hint,” he begged but she shook her head. “Come on, Jen. You know you want to tell me,” he gave her his best puppy dog eyes which made her laugh but she still shook her head. “Okay, okay. I will wait like everyone else,” he pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Wasn’t he supposed to be here already?” Sullivan asked as he looked at his watch.

“The nurse said around noon. I’m sure they will be here soon.”

“Oh, there they are,” Claire announced and Travis turned around to watch Vic wheel Lucas into the room, his eyes lighting up at the sight of everyone.

Travis had instructed everyone to start singing “Happy Birthday” the moment Lucas came into the room and so the room erupted in song and cheers. Everyone happily sang for him which brought tears to his eyes as he put his hand over his heart obviously touched by it all. Vic was as well when tears started to run down her face as she watched her friends and family sing for her husband. She looked so emotional.

The singing came to an end and Lucas smiled at everyone.

“Thank you so much. I’m beyond touched that you’re all here,” he spoke as he looked at everyone. “And who are you?” He asked the two little kids in front of him who handed him a drawing of a firefighter who looked just like him saving two little kids who looked just like them. “Is that supposed to be me?” He asked and they nodded.

“You saved us Mr. Lucas and we wanted to thank you,” he had tears in his eyes. “Is it okay if we hug you?” He just nodded and they wrapped their little arms around him. Jennifer was taking pictures of the entire thing while Vic cried and probably imagined little Ripley’s running around their house. Travis just smiled and couldn’t help but picture his future god babies with their perfect hair and bad ass personality.

He bumped Vic’s shoulder, making her look at him teary eyed and mouth “thank you”.

“What are you thinking about?” He asked curiously, knowing the answer already because he knew her.

“Nothing,” she replied coyly.

“Admit it, you’re totally picturing little Ripley babies,” he whispered and Vic couldn’t hide the smile. “You know I got dibs on godfather, right?” She laughed and nodded.

“Of course but that will take some time. I wanna enjoy being married a little while longer.” Travis nodded at his best friend and continued watching Lucas with the kids and their parents.

“Thank you so much, Chief Ripley. If it wasn’t for you and your firefighters my babies wouldn’t be here now. I don’t know what I would do without them,” the mother told him and Lucas swallowed before wiping away the tears. Travis noticed how her words seemed to affect him in a personal way. He wondered what that was all about.

“You are very welcome. I’m glad that they are safe and sound.”

“And we are glad that you are okay as well.”

“Thank you. My wife would have killed me if I had died,” he joked, earning himself a light slap on the head from Vic. “I told her she is stuck with me.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. You are my favorite person to be stuck with, remember?” She smiled and bend down to kiss him on the cheek.

“What’s your name?” The little girl asked her. “And are you also a firefighter?”

“My name is Victoria but most people call me Vic and yes I’m a firefighter too.”

“The best,” Lucas chimed in, making everyone laugh.

“Why are they laughing?” The boy asked.

“Because they think he is biased because he is my husband,” Vic explained. “But actually, I’m really the best,” she whispered, making them giggle.

“Can I become a firefighter too?” the girl asked.

“Of course you can. We need more female firefighters. They are awesome,” Lucas replied.

“Awesome like your wife,” the boy wondered. 

“Exactly!” he beamed at Vic and Travis rolled his eyes at how lovesick his boss was. Never in a million years did he see that one coming but he was so happy for them both. They seemed to be the perfect fit.

“Can you tell us some stories? What was the most dangerous thing you ever did? Was it saving us?” The boy asked excitedly.

“Yes, that was probably the most dangerous one,” Lucas sighed, “because I didn’t have my gear on. Our gear protects us from the fire and smoke.”

“Is that why you are in the hospital?” he nodded. “But you are okay?” He smiled and nodded again. “And you are the Chief which means you are their boss?” The girl pointed at the others in the room.

“Yes, I’m their boss. Except for her,” he pointed at Jennifer, “she is my sister,” he pointed at Claire and Bobby Jr., “and this is my best friend's wife and their son,” the little girl waved at Bobby Jr., making him blush. “And I’m also not her boss,” Lucas said while pointing at Vic.

“But I thought she was also a firefighter. Doesn’t that make you her boss?” The boy wanted to know.

“Technically it does but since she is my wife, let’s just say that she is my boss,” he joked.

“You better remember that, buddy,” Vic giggled.

“So, does that mean she gets to order you around?” The kids asked in unison.

“Oh yes. She really likes bossing me and the others around,” he whispered but everyone could still hear him and they laughed.

“He’s right about that and when you are all grown up, you can do the same,” Vic told her, making her chuckle.

“Okay, who wants cake?” Maya chimed in. “Because I’m dying to have some cake. What about you?” She asked the kids as they nodded happily. “Perfect. Let’s have cake.”

Travis watched the scene in front of him with the kids smiling and asking them questions about firefighting with his friends telling them all about it while eating cake. He glanced at Vic and Lucas as they unwrapped Jennifer’s gift, both gasping at the thick photo album filled with pics of them. Pics from the camping trip and when Vic opened Lucas’ calendar and so many more that Jennifer must have taken in the time that she lived with them. He watched as the happy couple hugged Jennifer and thanked her for the amazing present.

Travis smiled when Lucas grabbed Vic by the waist and pulled her down onto his lap, making her squeal and laugh before kissing her. For a guy who just survived open heart surgery and carbon monoxide poisoning, he was quite fit but Travis figured that this was the power of love. When you have that one person in your life, that perfect match, your soulmate, it just makes you invincible and gives you the strength to get through anything. 

They stayed for another hour before Dr.Pierce stepped into the room, looking rather unamused with the amount of people that were occupying the room. Dean tried his best by flirting with her, hoping that she would let them stay and eventually agree to go on a date with him but she just ignored him and threw them out instead, which made the entire room erupted in laughter. They said their goodbyes and hugged and kissed Lucas and Vic.

Travis was the last one to leave.

“Thank you so much, Travis. What you did for me today with the kids, I will never forget it,” Lucas thanked him.

“You are very welcome, Lucas,” he said as he quickly hugged his boss. “Happy birthday again. I hope you like your other present,” he pointed at Vic.

“Oh, trust me that is my favorite gift of all,” he joked, making Vic roll her eyes.

“Are you two done talking about me?” She asked as she walked over to Travis and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you so much, Travis. This was amazing and the cake was so delicious. I need that recipe so I can bake it for Lucas when he is allowed to eat stuff like that again.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he kissed her on the cheek and patted the Chief’s shoulder before leaving. 

He stopped outside the room and took one last glance at them. He was really missing having that connection with someone. He hadn’t had that since Michael died. He looked at his wedding band and sighed. 

“I love you, Michael. I always will,” he whispered as he removed the ring from his finger and put it in his breast pocket. It was time to move on and find himself love again like Lucas and Vic.  
  


* * *

  
Vic snuggled into bed with Lucas after everyone left and they looked through the photo album that Jennifer gave him.

“I can’t believe she took all of these. I don’t even remember her being in the room for most of these,” Lucas said.

“Well considering the way you look at me I’m not surprised you didn’t notice her,” she teased.

“You are one to talk,” he countered as he showed her a picture of her wiping flour from his cheek gazing at him lovingly.

She smiled. “I can’t believe that people saw this while we were blind. Like were we really that blind?” She laughed.

“Apparently we were,” he turned the page and found the photos from their camping trip with the team. “I didn’t think you would actually sit down on my lap. It took everything in me not to just have my way with you right then and there.”

“I can see that,” she said as she pointed at the photo with him looking at her while she stared into the sunset with her eyes closed. “I think this is my favorite.”

“Mine too. You looked so beautiful that day. The way the sun illuminated your skin and your hair was blowing softly in the wind. I just thought that I’m one lucky bastard because my wife is the most gorgeous woman on the planet,” he leaned in to kiss her before pulling back.

Vic smiled at him as she turned the page and found pictures of them snuggled up in the tent next.

“I can’t believe that Jennifer captured this,” he shook his head.

“I woke up with your arms around me that morning and felt really happy,” she confessed.

“Really?” She nodded. “You should have said something. I knew you were awake when I woke up,” she admitted.

“You did?” He nodded, making her laugh. “We are idiots,” he burst into laughter. 

She put the book aside and turned to look at her husband. “Did you really mean what you said in that voicemail?”

“When I talked about love at first sight?” She nodded her head.

“I know it’s cheesy but from the moment you walked by and then set me on fire I just knew you were the one for me,” she chuckled. “Honestly, that entire weekend in Vegas just made me want to be with you even though I knew it was wrong to want that and it couldn’t be but it just felt so right. It took everything in me not to visit 19 all the time. I wanted to see you and be close to you. When Frankel suggested staying married, part of me was excited,” he entwined their hands. “You brought me back to life in more ways than one, Victoria. I’m so happy to have you in my life. I don’t know what I would do without you in it.” Vic had tears in her eyes when he finished talking.

“Good thing that you won’t ever have to find out. It’s you and me for the rest of our lives,” she promised.

“Just you and me?” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, making her laugh.

“For the time being, yes. I don’t feel like sharing you and we’ve only been together for a little over 5 months but later I definitely want to have kids with you. I’ve seen the way you were with those kids you saved and how you are with Bobby Jr. and it makes me very happy that you will be the father of my kids some day. They are going to be the luckiest kids on the planet.”

“Yeah, they will be because you will be their mother,” Vic smiled and leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes she stayed like that for a moment. 

“You have made me so very happy, Lucas Ripley. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” she said nuzzling his nose before kissing his lips.

“You two are worse than teenagers,” they heard from the door and looked up to see Dr. Pierce there. “Don’t you ever get tired of each other?”

Vic looked at Lucas as both chuckled and shook their heads before turning back to the doctor, saying “No” in unison, making her roll her eyes.

“I officially give up,” she shook her head at them. “I’m just glad you are feeling better, Chief.”

“Thank you, Dr. Pierce,” he looked at Vic again. “For everything.”

“Well, it’s my job. Plus, I couldn’t just end this love story. I had to see where it goes,” she joked as she checked his vitals.

“And are you happy with how our story turned out?” Vic wondered.

“I’d be happier if you could stay out of your husbands bed,” she teased, “but I’m happy that I wasn’t responsible for ending this story. Only an idiot would do that,” she laughed at herself. “Please try to behave,” she reminded them and they nodded. “And happy birthday again, Chief,” she said before leaving.

Vic looked at Lucas and smiled before snuggling into his chest. His arms wrapped around her to pull her closer to him before they drifted off to sleep.

She spent every single moment at the hospital with him. She had to use her vacation days for it but she really didn’t care as long as she was with him. She showered at the hospital and ate with Lucas in his room. Her family and friends visited and brought her clean clothes and informed her about the latest gossip while Frankel checked in to talk shop with Lucas. Vic knew though that deep down inside she was a big softie and came by to hang out with her friend. Vic smiled at that. Frankel wasn’t so bad once you got to know her.

After a week, he finally got discharged and they were able to go home and sleep in their own bed which Vic was happy about even if they weren’t allowed to actually do anything in that bed besides sleep but she just wanted to be alone with him without nurses and doctors and they finally were.

“Are you okay?” He asked her on their first night. “You seem so far away.”

“I’m not. I’m right here where I belong,” she told him and kissed him.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I just hate that I can’t touch you. We will have to wait for weeks,” she pouted, making him laugh.

“Well, you know my stance on that. I would gladly have my way with you right here, right now,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

She shook her head at him. “Yeah, I wish but I ain’t risking it. Dr. Pierce said six to eight weeks. I can wait,” she looked almost confident about it. “I think,” she added and laughed. “I’m just glad you are home,” she kissed him. 

“I love you, Eggy,” he said.

“I love you, hubby,” she replied back. “We should probably get some rest,” she suggested before kissing him again and snuggling into his arms before falling asleep.


	21. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas is home recovering from his surgery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it took so long to write a new chapter. I had a bit of trouble writing and I was also on vacation and had no time. But I'm back with a new chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.

Their first Thanksgiving was spent together, a day later, with a lot of help from their friends and family who cooked and brought the food over to their place. Vic was grateful for that because there was no way she would have been able to prepare it herself but she wanted her first Thanksgiving with Lucas to be special and she couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate it.

As she sat in the dining room and watched everyone, she smiled. She never thought that this was what she wanted in life but she couldn't be happier and more content than in that moment with Lucas by her side and her team and the family that came with Lucas, his sister and the Sullivans and it filled her with so much joy. Losing her parents had left a hole in her heart but Lucas and all the other people at the table had made her heart whole again.

She was glad that Lucas was feeling better now that he was at home. He hated the hospital and was glad to be in his own bed where no one would tell him to stop cuddling with his wife. Vic liked it better as well. She just loved having him all to herself without anyone interrupting them.

"Are you okay, Eggy?" Lucas asked, bringing her back to reality and she smiled at him while caressing his hand.

"Never better," she answered before leaning in to kiss him.

"Are you two gonna start making out again? We are about to eat here," Dean complained and it was just hilarious how uncomfortable he seemed to be with them making out. He still couldn’t grasp the fact that she was married to the big boss and Vic loved seeing her friend squirm.

"If you had a wife as gorgeous as Victoria, you would be kissing her all the damn time too, Miller. So yes, I will be kissing my wife as often as I want to in my own house," Lucas told him and grabbed Vic‘s face to plant one on her, making her giggle.

"They are worse than teenagers," Dean mumbled to Maya who chuckled and then proceeded to kiss her own girlfriend.

"Oh, not you too," he complained and Vic burst into laughter.

"Don‘t worry, Dean. You‘ll find someone, too," she told him. He shrugged before demanding for them to finally get started because he was starving.

“Before we start, I would like to say something,” Lucas stood up and Dean tried not to groan but failed miserably. “I’ll try to make it brief, Miller,” he chuckled. “I have a lot to be grateful for this year. I never thought I would find love at my age and I didn’t just find love but I found the love of my life. Victoria,” he turned to look at her, “you have made me happier than I have ever been or thought I could be and I’m so lucky to have you in my life. I love you,” he quickly kissed her before continuing. “I’m also grateful to have Jennifer back home. I missed you so much, lil sis and I’m happy that you have found someone that makes you happy. That’s all I ever wanted for you,” he smiled at Jennifer and Maya who beamed at each other while holding hands. “I’m grateful to Sully and Claire for making me a part of their family and letting me be their children’s godfather. It means the world to me that they trust me with them and you won’t find better people than them,” his best friends smiled at him while Sully rubbed Claire’s stomach lovingly. “And lastly, I’m grateful for the people from 19, Vic’s family who has become my family as well. I’m grateful for every single one of you for enriching my life and making it better. Thank you,” he finished and raised his glass. “And before Miller starves, let’s eat!”

“Finally!” He exclaimed as he filled his plate, making everyone laugh.

Lucas sat down and turned to look at Vic. “I love you,” he told her while she beamed at him.

“And I love you,” she kissed him again before her stomach growled and broke the moment.

“See, I wasn’t the only one starving,” Dean exclaimed with his mouth full which earned him a glare from Vic and shut him up for the rest of the evening.

They spent the evening in perfect harmony, talking, laughing and just being together as one big happy family until it was time for everyone to go home and it was just Vic and Lucas.

"Leave the dishes for tomorrow," he suggested but she shook her head. "We can do them tomorrow. I just want to go to bed with my wife,” he told her and she couldn’t resist him. She followed him up the stairs into their bedroom where they fell asleep in each others arms.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas Ripley was an amazing husband, boss, chief and human being but he was one lousy patient and he was driving Vic insane. They had been home for only four days and she was ready to strangle him because he just wouldn’t listen to her. She wanted him to rest so she could do some chores and he would go to bed but five minutes later she would find him with her again, watching her and trying to help her with whatever she was doing. It was driving her up a wall because he couldn‘t get better this way and she needed him healed and back to his old self.

"Lucas, I love you but...” she started.

"Are you breaking up with me?” He joked not taking her seriously.

"I will break up with you if you don’t leave me alone and go and rest. I have stuff to do and I can’t do any of it if I have to worry about you,” she explained.

“You don’t have to worry about me, Eggy. I feel fine,” he assured her.

“But I do worry. Don’t you get that I love you and it would kill me if...” she paused and took a deep breath. “It would kill me if something happened to you. You have to take care of yourself, Lucas. Please, just go to bed. For me.”

He sighed. "I’m sorry, Eggy. I just want to be with you.”

"I know and I want that too but you are no good to me if you don‘t recover and that takes time."

"And what do you plan on doing with me when I‘m fully recovered?" He smirked.

"Well, if you play nice and listen to me and the doctors then you will find out soon enough. I know you don‘t like taking orders but I‘m your wife and you better listen to me if you want to keep it that way. Okay?"

"Aye aye, Captain!" He joked as Vic rolled her eyes at him and watched him go upstairs, appreciating the view.

A moment later her phone rang, she picked it up to find Travis on the other end.

"Hey, Trav! What‘s going on?" She asked exhausted.

"Oh, am I calling at a bad time?" He wondered.

"No, it‘s okay."

"So, how is married life? I mean now that you two have finally admitted your feelings for each other and are married for real and Lucas is home."

"I finally got him to go to sleep. He is driving me crazy, wanting to be near me all the time," she complained, making Travis laugh.

"Other people would be happy that their spouses wanted to spend all their time with them and here you are complaining about it," he teased.

"He needs to rest. He just had open heart surgery and I can‘t have him following me around while I‘m doing things around the house. I need him to be okay and I just..." Vic sighed and could feel the tears forming.

"Vic, he is okay," Travis reminded her.

"Yeah but I came so close to losing him. Sometimes I feel like he is not taking it seriously."

"I‘m sure he is taking it very seriously but maybe he doesn't want to act that way around you so he doesn't upset you or remind you how close it was for him. He is trying to be positive and enjoy life and that includes being with you and around you all the time and you should do the same. He is okay and he is there with you. Forget your chores and go be with your husband. The fastest way for him to heal is with you by his side. He needs you. Be there for him."

Vic listened to her best friend and she knew he was right. "Okay. You win!"

"I‘m not the one winning in this scenario. It‘s you and Lucas winning. Now stop talking to me and go be with your hot hubby or I’m gonna come over and snuggle with him,” he threatened, making Vic laugh.

“Not sure Lucas would like that,” she countered.

“Hey, I’m a joy to be around. He would love it,” Travis said with conviction before getting serious again. “But all jokes aside go be with Lucas and I‘ll talk to you tomorrow," he said.

"I will. Thanks Travis. You are the best."

"I know," he laughed. "Bye,Vic," he said before hanging up.

Vic sighed and dropped the laundry before going upstairs into their room. Lucas was already asleep and for a second she thought about not interrupting him and going back to her laundry but as usual when it came to her husband she just couldn't resist. She lifted the covers and snuggled into bed with him. He immediately pulled her into his arms and smiled against her forehead.

"I thought I needed the rest?" He teased.

"I think I need it too," she lifted her head to look into his eyes. "I‘m sorry for before. I just...I need you to be okay," she confessed.

"I‘m okay, Eggy," he assured her.

"I know but..." she caressed his cheek.

"No buts… I‘m okay, Victoria. I‘m right here with you. Nothing will take me away from you. You hear me?" She nodded and smiled. "I love you so much," he whispered and kissed her. Vic couldn't help as she deepened the kiss. The need to feel him and be close to him taking over. "I want you so much right now," she heard him say as he grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it to expose her stomach before quickly pulling it over her head and off of her.

"Damn, I‘m the luckiest guy alive," he smirked as he realized that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

"Don‘t you ever forget that, Mr. Ripley."

"I won‘t, Mrs. Ripley," he replied while kissing her neck. She loved hearing him call her that. She was Victoria Hughes at work but otherwise she was Victoria Ripley and she would always be, for the rest of their lives.

Vic moaned and started unbuttoning his shirt, wanting to feel his naked skin on hers when she suddenly stopped, looking at the scar from his surgery. She couldn't help as tears formed in her eyes as she exhaled sharply, her hand reaching out to touch the scar, her fingers tracing it, a lifelong reminder of how close she came to losing him.

"Victoria?" Lucas called out but she didn't look at him. She just couldn't. "Victoria? Please look at me," she shook her head, her hand still on his chest. "Victoria, I need you to look at me," he repeated and placed his hand over hers. Vic finally looked up, tears rolling down her cheeks. Lucas sighed and wiped them from her face. "I told you I‘m not going anywhere. It‘s just a scar and I have several more."

"Yeah but this one is different," she sighs. "How did it go unnoticed that you have a heart problem?" She wanted to know but he didn't answer. "Please tell me you didn't just skip your checkups," she said and he looked away. "Damn it, Lucas! What the hell were you thinking?"

"Honestly?" He asked and she nodded her head wanting to know why he would be so careless with his own life. "I didn't really have anything to lose anyway until now."

"You’re an idiot. You still had your sister and Sully, Claire and Bobby Jr. They would have been devastated if something had happened to you. They love you. You had plenty to live for before I came along," she scolded him and he nodded.

"I know. I‘m sorry, Eggy."

"Don‘t you ever do something stupid like that again especially if we want to have kids someday because I ain’t doing that without you. You hear me?" He just nodded but Vic needed him to say it. "Say it!"

"I promise that I won‘t be an idiot anymore and go to my checkups because I want to spend my life with you and our future children," Vic smiled. "Happy now?" She nodded and snuggled into him.

"Let‘s go to sleep," she sighed.

"But we were in the middle of something," he pouted, making her laugh.

"Nice try, mister. I almost got carried away but you know what Dr. Pierce said."

"Can’t believe that she is cockblocking me when she ain’t even here,” he replied, making Vic laugh. Lucas looked at her with so much love in his eyes, "I love making you laugh. It’s my favorite thing," he told her as he removed his shirt and pulled her closer. "And before I forget, I love you," he said and she smiled against his chest before kissing the scar and then his lips.

"I love you, too."  
  


* * *

  
Lucas tried to behave but he couldn't help wanting to be near Vic all the time. He acted all tough in front of her but deep down he was a little bit scared. Everything that had happened had been a wake up call for him. Vic was his lifeline that gave him the strength he needed but he knew that she was right. He needed his rest and so he finally agreed to rest and then she crawled into bed with him and he couldn’t have been happier and then she saw his scar again and froze and it hurt him to see her like that. So scared and afraid that he would leave her.

Lucas knew that he had been stupid for not going to his checkups but he really didn’t think it would have been a big loss for anyone and he never felt like something was wrong with him. He really didn’t have much to lose but now he had everything to lose. A whole future with the love of his life. He was excited to see what the future would bring for him and Vic. He was ecstatic that she wanted children with him. He knew that she wasn’t ready for them just yet and he understood because she was still young and had time and he wouldn’t push her until she was ready but he was just happy that she was talking about future children. She wanted them as much as he did. Though if he was honest with himself he liked that it was just the two of them for the time being. There were still so many things he wanted to do with her before kids came along.

"I want to go on vacation with you,” he blurted out when they were lying on the couch one afternoon.

She turned around to face him. "Okay. What did you have in mind?”

"Aspen or maybe Vancouver for Christmas? We could make it our honeymoon since we didn’t get to have one.”

"You want me in a snowsuit for our honeymoon? There are things called beaches and swimwear,” she teased.

"You’d look sexy in a snowsuit,” he wiggled his eyebrows, making her roll her eyes. "But I was thinking more like you and me naked in front of a nice fireplace in a cabin, making love all day and all night long.”

"Do you think you will be up for that?” She asked and he laughed.

"Oh, I’m totally up for that. I can show you right now,” he tried but she laughed.

"Nice try, mister,” she shook her head.

"But really. Let’s go on vacation together. I’m sure you can take some time off for Christmas. I know your boss. He’d be happy to give you the time off so he could get you off,” he joked as Vic glared at him. "Sorry but think about it. Just for a few days. Just the two of us. No phones or anything. Just you and me celebrating our first Christmas together as husband and wife. What do you think?” Lucas asked hopeful.

"Do you really think I would say no to having you all to myself for a few days, naked and willing,” she smirked and kissed him.

"Oh, I’m so willing. I can show you right now,” he tried again.

"You’re incorrigible,” she chuckled while he laughed. "You are still not in the clear, so no funny business until you are. Until then we can just make out like a couple of horny teenagers and you can occasionally grope me,” she wiggled her eyebrows as he rolled on top of her, settling between her legs.

"I’ll take anything I can get," he groaned and leaned in to kiss her. “I could kiss you forever.”

“Well, I ain’t going anywhere so you might as well kiss me forever,” she said as her fingers threaded through his blonde curls.

“You are driving me crazy,” he groaned while she nodded. “Though, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he laughed and they continued making out like a couple of horny teenagers.  
  


* * *

 

Vic went back to work in December because Lucas was feeling well enough to be on his own and because she needed to if she wanted Christmas off. She hoped that it would work out and that she could get that time off because she really wanted to get away with Lucas. She needed it.

“Earth to Vic,” she suddenly heard and looked up to find Travis in front of her.

“Sorry, I was somewhere else,” she apologized.

“I can see that,” he said and sat down beside her. “So what’s up? How is Lucas?”

“He is doing great. He wants to get away with me for Christmas.”

“Oh really?” Vic nodded. “As in honeymoon?”

“Yeah. Kind of.”

“Where to?” He asked curiously.

“He wants to go to Aspen,” Travis wrinkled his nose.

“Why Aspen? Why not Hawaii or anywhere else with a beach?”

“That’s what I asked and he said...” Vic stopped because she really shouldn’t be telling Travis about this.

“He said what?” 

“Um, nothing,” Vic blushed.

“Oh, you are blushing. Come on, Vic. I thought I’m your best friend and best friends tell each other everything. Why Aspen? Tell me!” He insisted while Vic blushed even more. “Oh, please tell me he said something as cheesy as wanting to make love to you in front of the fireplace all night long.” Vic choked on her coffee. “Oh my God, he did. You are so damn lucky.”

“I know that I am and can we stop talking about this now?”

“Talking about what?” Maya joined them. 

“How Ripley wants to make sweet, sweet love to Vic in Aspen for Christmas,” Travis told her.

“Oh, that sounds great. Maybe I should do the same with Jennifer. She has been so stressed because of him. She could need the timeout. Though, I think I would go for a beach vacation. She looks amazing in a bikini,” Maya daydreamed.

“Wow, this is getting really serious between you two, wanting to go on vacation together and everything,” Vic smiled.

“Yeah, she is wonderful and I love...” she paused “... being with her.”

“Aha, you mean more like you love her,” Maya blushed. “Have you told her?” She shook her head. “Why not?”

“Like you and Ripley were any better. How long did it take for you two to finally admit your feelings for each other?” she blurted out and Vic raised her eyebrows in shock. 

“Jennifer told you, didn’t she?” Her friend nodded. “You have to promise me not to say anything to anyone. This could ruin everything he worked for.”

“Travis already gave me that speech and I promise I won’t tell. You two are so perfect together and he is the best Chief we ever had. The last thing I would want is to ruin it for you or ruin things with Jennifer.”

“Thank you, Maya,” she hugged her friend. “And you should have told me that she knows,” she reprimanded Travis.

“You had other things to worry about. I didn’t want to bother you with this especially since Maya can be trusted.”

“I know, Trav. Thank you,” she hugged him as well. “And we should probably get back to work before the Captain sees us sitting here and chatting like a couple of old ladies.”

Her friend nodded in agreement and they went back to work and it was a slow day with very little to do but she was still glad when she could finally leave and go home to Lucas because she missed him.

When she arrived home, her mouth dropped. The entire house was decorated with Christmas lights, there was a gigantic snowman in the front yard and elves on the roof. It all looked magical. Vic smiled and went inside and was greeted with more lights and a beautiful Christmas tree in the middle of their living room with Lucas sitting at the piano, playing a Christmas song.

He looked up and smiled at her as she went over and plopped down next to him and kissed his lips.

“What is all this?” She asked and he shrugged. “Please tell me you didn’t do all of this yourself,” she said in a warning tone.

“I had help from Claire, Jennifer and the neighbors. I wanted our first Christmas to be special. Do you like it?”

“I love it, Lucas. It’s beautiful,” she kissed his cheek.

“I have another surprise for you,” he announced.

“Oh really? What is it?”

“You got a few days off for Christmas and I managed to book us a cabin in Aspen,” Vic’s mouth dropped.

“Really? How did you manage that?”

“Well, I’m still the Chief and called in a few favors. As for Aspen, a friend of mine runs the place we are staying at and he always has a cabin for me if I need one. He is excited to meet the new Mrs. Ripley.”

Vic beamed at him before kissing him again. “This is amazing, Luke. I can’t wait to go on our honeymoon even if it’s just for a few days and in the snow,” she joked as he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll keep you warm,” he whispered.

“Is that a promise?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Oh yes,” he chuckled. “How was your day?”

“Boring and I’m starving.”

“Perfect. I made Mac and Cheese,” Vic jumped up and ran into the kitchen. She grabbed a bowl and filled it with delicious food before walking back into the living room. 

Lucas was on the couch now, underneath a blanket and she joined him and started devouring the food.

“God, this is so damn good. I love your cooking,” she said between bites.

“I can see that. Don’t forget to chew,” he teased her.

“No time for that,” he laughed at her. “Oh, um, Maya knows about us. Jennifer told her.”

Lucas sighed. “I figured she would. She was never one for keeping secrets from the people she was dating.”

“And Maya is in love with your sister,” Lucas looked at her in surprise.

“She is?” Vic nodded. “I was worried Bishop would break her heart. I didn’t expect her to fall in love.”

“Neither did I. Maya was never really into relationships,” Vic admitted.

“Do you think she is really in love with my sister?”

“Oh yes, she totally is. I could see it in her eyes. Just the way they light up when she talked about Jennifer. It’s really cute. She actually plans on telling her for Christmas,” Vic beamed.

“Jennifer will be really happy because she is also in love with her,” Lucas confessed.

“That’s amazing. I think they are perfect for each other.”

“I think so too. I’m happy that my sister found someone that makes her so happy,” he looked at Vic lovingly. “Like I did.”

“Aww, you are such a sap,” she teased.

“But I’m your sap,” he countered.

“You sure are,” she leaned over and gave him a cheesy kiss before going back to her food while he wiped his mouth. “Did you really just wipe your mouth after I kissed you?” She asked mock-hurt while he shook his head. “Oh just wait,” she threatened while putting the bowl down on the table and attacking his lips again and his neck. Lucas wound his arms around her and kissed her back not able to resist and so they made out on the couch for a while before she pushed him away and finished her food. Vic wasn’t one to let great food go to waste.  
  


* * *

 

Before Lucas realized it, Christmas had arrived. He had one more checkup with Dr. Pierce while Vic was at work. He was a bit nervous but when she gave him a clean bill of health and told him that he could go back to work and other things again, he breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn’t wait to tell Vic and to take that vacation with her. He had so many things planned for them.

Everything was ready. Their suitcases were packed and he was more than ready to go when Vic finally came home from work.

“Hello Eggy, how was work?” He asked as she plopped down next to him on the couch and snuggled into him.

“Exhausting. I’m ready to take that vacation with you,” she gave him a quick kiss. “How was your appointment with Dr. Pierce?” He grinned before rolling on top of her, settling between her legs, making her giggle as he started kissing her neck. “Down Romeo, we have a plane to catch,” she protested weakly without making a move but instead let her hands wander over his back.

“It’s not like you are stopping me,” he teased while one of his hands disappeared underneath her shirt cupping one of her breasts, teasing her nipple with his fingers.

“Damn it, Lucas. Don’t stop. I missed this,” she moaned when he started sucking on her neck while his hand moved down her body between her legs, rubbing her through her jeans.

“I thought we had a plane to catch,” he chuckled.

“Then you have to make it quick,” she suggested as she started undressing him.

“Always so romantic,” he joked while taking her clothes off as well.

“Stop talking and fuck me already,” she whined when they were finally naked.

He didn’t need to hear more. She was already wet for him and he was painfully hard.

“Please Lucas, I need you,” she moaned when he finally slid into her filling her for the first time in weeks. “Oh fuck,” she groaned as her inner walls contracted around him. “This feels amazing. I need more,” she loved the way his cock was stretching and filling her, like it was made for her. 

Lucas started rocking into her faster and harder like she asked him too, pulling her leg over his hip to go deeper, making her tremble beneath him. There was pure joy on her face as he rammed into her over and over again. Her breasts bouncing with each thrust while she cried out for him to fuck her harder. He could feel that she was getting closer to her release, so he shifted a bit to change the angle and starting hitting her g-spot over and over. She was mumbling nonsense now, ready to come and he could feel himself getting closer too.

“Babe, you are incredible. Please tell me you are close,” she nodded and moved one of her hands between them to play with her clit.

“Lucas, please don’t stop,” she panted as he pounded into her harder while she rubbed her bundle of nerves faster.

He couldn’t wait to feel her come on his cock as he rammed into her with force until she cried out his name and came hard, her pussy clenching around him and making him come as well, spilling his seed into her.

They laid there sweaty and boneless for a while before finally coming to their senses. He was still buried inside of her with Vic’s legs wrapped around his waist.

“I don’t want to move,” she said and kissed him.

“Neither do I but we have to. I promise there will be more of this in Aspen. In fact, I don’t think I will let you leave our bed the entire time we are there,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Is that so?” He nodded. “Well in that case, get off of me and let’s go,” she joked but didn’t let go of him.

“You will have to unhook your legs, babe,” he chuckled when she pouted but she eventually let go of him. Lucas pulled out and they both immediately missed the feeling of each other.

“Do we have time for a shower?” Vic asked and he looked at his watch and nodded before grabbing her and carrying her into the bathroom where he fucked her once more before they finally got dressed and left their house for a well-deserved honeymoon.


	22. Honeymoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas enjoy their honeymoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to update. The Grey's Anatomy episode left me heartbroken and I was ready to give up on Vicley but I won't let Krista Vernoff take that ship away from me.
> 
> This chapter is mostly a filler with lots of fluff and spice and tons of super cheesy moments and lots of talking about their future. I felt like the Vicley fandom needed that. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's quite long. Let me know what you think.

Their flight got delayed and so they were stuck at the airport but Vic didn’t mind as long as she was with him. They even managed to find an empty janitors closet to have sex in. Twice.

They were cuddled up in the airport terminal, Lucas’ arm wrapped around her waist, her head leaning against his shoulder, when a woman approached them.

“Hello, I thought that was you,” she said and Lucas looked up at her.

“I remember you. We met when I was one my way to San Diego,” Lucas smiled at the lady while Vic looked at them curiously.

“Pictures don’t do you justice, my dear. You are indeed a stunner,” she said while looking at Vic, making her blush.

“Thank you,” she replied when the lady sat down opposite from them.

“My name is Lucy. I met your husband a few weeks ago, here at the airport while he was staring at a picture of you and your godson. Never seen a man look that in love besides my Victor over there,” she smiled as she pointed at a slightly younger black man who was buying coffee.

Vic couldn’t help but chuckle, making Lucy look at her questioningly.

“Sorry, it’s just our names are Victoria and Lucas and you two are like us just switched,” she explained, making Lucy laugh.

“Oh, you are right, my dear,” she said as Victor joined them handing her a coffee and a croissant. “He always takes such good care of me,” she smiled at him and Vic hoped that this would be her and Lucas when they were old and grey.

“My Lucy always manages to make friends wherever she goes,” Victor laughed while taking a sip from his coffee.

“Remember when I told you about meeting the Fire Chief a while ago,” she asked him and he nodded. “That’s him,” she pointed at Lucas. “Lucas and his lovely wife Victoria,” she introduced them and Victor chuckled.

“Your names are really Lucas and Victoria?” the couple nodded. “This is quite amusing, right?”

“I just said the same thing to Lucy,” Vic laughed. “How long have you two been married? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh, we’ve been married for forty-two years,” she smiled. “The best forty-two years of my life,” she smiled and kissed her husband. Vic couldn’t help but look at her own husband who looked at her lovingly. They shared a chaste kiss before turning back to the older couple.

“Where are you flying to?” Lucas asked curiously.

“We’re visiting our daughter. She is about to have her first baby, our fourth grandchild,” they answered proudly. 

“That is amazing. Congratulations!” Vic exclaimed smiling at them as they nodded.

“Where are you two off to?” Victor asked.

“Aspen,” Lucas answered. “It’s a belated honeymoon.”

“Why would you take her to Aspen when you could have her in swimwear in Hawaii?” Victor wondered as Lucy gave him a disapproving look. “What?” She glared at him.

“There is nothing wrong with Aspen. It’s beautiful there. The smell of fresh snow, the mountains and trees, going skiing and at night they can warm up in front of the fireplace amongst other things,” Lucy smirked at her husband and gave him a quick kiss.

“That actually does sound nice,” he smiled while kissing her back before pulling away again and smiling at the younger couple.

“Luke and I had the same argument. It was his idea to go to Aspen. I wanted the beach and sun and me in a bikini with him shirtless 24/7,” she pouted. “But he wanted snow and me in a snowsuit,” Vic rolled her eyes.

“We can do the beach another time,” he told her.

“You promise?” She asked.

“I wouldn’t miss out on the chance to have you in a bikini 24/7,” he wiggled his eyebrows and laughed while her stomach growled. “I think I should feed you,” he chuckled while she nodded with a big grin on her face.

“We were supposed to be in Aspen already, sipping champagne and feeding each other strawberries amongst other things,” she wiggled her eyebrows, making him blush. “Stupid delay is ruining our honeymoon,” she complained and he just pulled her closer and kissed her temple.

“Sorry, babe.”

“It’s not your fault. But you do need to feed me. I’m starving.”

“I saw a diner earlier. We can go there,” Vic nodded and turned to the older couple.

“You are more than welcome to join us?” Vic smiled at them.

“Oh, that is very sweet of you, my dear, but our flight should board soon. You two go and enjoy yourselves,” Lucy told them.

“Thank you, Lucy. Good luck with your new grand-baby. That must be very exciting,” Vic said and Victor nodded.

“Grand-babies are the best thing. We love to spoil them,” he laughed.

“You two have fun on your honeymoon in Aspen,” Lucy said and hugged Vic before they walked away.

“That was a really cute couple and they were so much like us,” Vic said as they sat down in the diner.  
  
“Yeah. Can you imagine us at that age?” He asked and Vic beamed at him.

“You mean you all grey and wrinkly and me still looking like this,” she joked.

“Oh, why you gotta be so mean?” He replied mock-hurt, making her laugh.

“I will still love you no matter how old and wrinkly you are,” she grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers.

“You sure about that? You sure you won’t trade me in for a younger model?”

“Never. You are my lobster, my person. I don’t want anyone else. Ever,” she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. “What about you? Do you think you will ever get sick of me?”

“Never. You are everything I ever wanted without even knowing it,” he chuckled. 

The waiter interrupted their moment to take their order and soon after they got a notification that their flight was going to board soon. They quickly ate before making it to their gate and into the plane. As they settled into their seats, Vic snuggled up to her husband while he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

“I really can’t wait for our vacation. I can’t wait to be alone with you,” she kissed his neck.

“We are always alone at home,” he snickered.

“Yeah, but this is different. It’s just you and me with no work, no phones and no one there to interrupt us. We need this after everything we’ve been through the last couple of weeks.”

“You’re right and I can’t wait to have you all to myself,” his hand gripped her hip.

“And what is it that you plan on doing with me, Chief?” Vic purred.

Lucas lowered his voice and whispered into her ear. “I plan on making you come so many times in so many ways that after this vacation you will need another vacation.”

Vic could feel herself getting hot and wet just thinking about it.

“Oh, I love it when you blush. I especially love it when I can make you blush all over,” Vic rubbed her legs together. His voice was getting to her. It always did.

She watched him as he licked his lips and then turned around to call one of the flight attendants over, asking her for a blanket for his wife. Vic smiled because he was so thoughtful and knew that her feet always got cold.

He put the blanket over her lap. “You are so sweet,” Lucas chuckled as she felt his hand move up and then between her legs and Vic understood what he was about to do. “Oh, you are so bad, Chief Ripley,” she sighed and spread her legs to give him more room.

“You have no idea, Mrs. Ripley?” He breathed into her ear as he unbuttoned her jeans to sneak his hand inside. He moved her panties aside while his fingers found her clit and he started rubbing at it furiously. “You are so damn wet,” he whispered as two fingers entered her while his thumb continued to work her clit. Vic had to suppress a moan as she felt herself getting closer. “Babe, you have to keep quiet.” 

She was glad that there was no one sitting nearby who could see what they were doing but she also didn’t think she would have stopped him from doing what he was doing if there had been people sitting there. Vic wanted him all the time. She was addicted to him.

“I’m trying but I’m already so close,” he changed the angle and fucked her faster. His fingers going in with ease with how wet she was. “Chief Ripley, please don’t stop,” she moaned quietly and smirked when she saw the effect it had on him.

He couldn’t stop watching her and it turned her on even more. Lucas twisted his wrist, fucked her harder until her inner muscles clenched around his fingers and she came with a shudder, holding back a moan. Lucas let her ride it out while his fingers remained inside of her, slowly pumping in and out before he removed them and started to lick them clean.

“You are so hot when you come, I just love watching you,” he kissed her while Vic buttons up her pants. Vic sighed when she tasted herself on his tongue and she couldn’t wait to get to their cabin, so he could fuck her properly. 

“Do you want me to take care of your little problem?” she asked as her fingers danced along his thigh but before she could palm him he stopped her and took her hand into his.

“I would love nothing more but I can handle it. Don’t worry about me,” he assured her as he kissed her hand and she just smiled and snuggled into him while throwing the blanket over both of them.

“I love you, Lucas.”

“I love you, too.”   
  


* * *

  
Vic gasped when they arrived at the cabin. It looked magical with all the snow, surrounded by mountains and trees and even though she was a beach and warm weather kinda girl, she had to admit that it was beautiful and that she was very excited to explore it all.

She felt Lucas arms wrap around her waist, pulling her against him, his nose nuzzling her neck. Vic relaxed against him and smiled.

“Do you like it?” He asked.

“I love it. It’s beautiful, Lucas.”

“Just wait until you see what it looks inside,” he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the cabin.

He opened the door and as Vic was about to go inside he stopped her, making her look at him questioningly. “What’s wrong?”

“I never got to carry you over the threshold,” he replied and picked her up. Vic squealed and held onto him as he carried her inside. Vic gasped once again as she took everything in. 

The cabin was gorgeous. Wooden floors and walls, a beautiful fireplace - Lucas must have made them prepare it because the fire was already burning - with a fluffy carpet in front of it on which Vic couldn’t wait to make love to her husband. There was a large couch and a small kitchen and bathroom and stairs that led to a big bed with a glass ceiling, so her and Lucas could stargaze while cuddling. There was also a big Christmas tree in the corner and Vic just smiled as she grabbed his face and kissed him thoroughly.

When she pulled away, he smiled. “I take it you like it?”

“I love it, Lucas,” she kissed his cheek. “And I love you.” She kissed his lips, deepening the kiss while her fingers started to work on his shirt.

“Babe, our luggage,” he started as she chuckled.

“Are you really worried about the luggage right now when you can make love to me in front of the fireplace instead?” She wiggled her eyebrows, his eyes suddenly turned dark as he slammed the door shut with his foot and carried her towards the carpet. He put her down, slowly peeling off every single layer of clothing from her body. Vic could feel herself getting wetter and wetter under his gaze.

He cupped one breast and squeezed it gently while his lips found her mouth, kissing her softly, his thumb playing with her nipple while Vic started to unbutton his shirt, then his pants until they were both naked.

“I can’t believe you are mine,” he breathed into her ear.

“And you are mine,” she repeated.

“I am. Always and forever,” they laid down on the carpet and it was just as soft and fluffy as it looked.

“Please Lucas, make love to me,” Vic moaned as he slowly entered her, filling her inch by glorious inch. He rocked into her lazily, both of them just enjoying the feeling of being connected. There was no rush or haste. They could take their time here. No one and nothing to interrupt them.

“I will never get tired of this,” he whispered as she smiled at him and put her arms around his neck, kissing him, while he kept up with the slow pace. Vic loved how full she felt. Full of him within her, full of love for him, full of happiness because of him. 

“I have never loved anyone the way I love you,” she replied while gazing into his eyes, the reflection from the fire dancing inside of them.

“Neither have I and I’ve never been happier than when I’m with you,” he pecked her nose, making her laugh, her muscles contracting around him, making him groan. “You drive me crazy when you do that.”

“And you drive me crazy period,” he chuckled and kept a steady pace, moving in and out of her, making her bounce in his arms.

“You are so beautiful,” he panted while looking into her eyes, his hand grabbing hers and kissing it. Vic’s other hand caressed his cheek as she smiled at him. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” she beamed and kissed his lips, letting her tongue tangle with his while he moved within her. 

Vic had always wondered what making love felt like. She always thought it was stupid but in this moment she understood. Her and Lucas were one. It wasn’t just their bodies that were joined but also their hearts and souls. She had never felt this type of love for anyone and it scared and excited her. She knew that she would never love anyone like she loved Lucas and that she would never want to be with anyone but him.

“What are you thinking about?” He asked seriously. 

“Just that I finally understand why it’s called love making,” she snickered, his eyes softening.

“I’ll make love to you for the rest of our lives. There is no one else I want. Just you. Always you,” he nuzzled her nose with his.

Vic moaned as she felt herself getting closer to her release. She couldn’t remember that it had ever felt this good before and they were going really slow, his fingers weren’t even playing with her clit. It was just his gaze upon her that made her feel so loved and cherished that made it so special, made her stomach tighten as well as her inner muscles. She could tell that Lucas was close too and it didn’t take much for them both to fall over the edge together, moaning each others names, Lucas spilling himself into her.

“Wow, that was,” he said breathlessly, still buried deep inside of her.

“It was,” she grinned. “I love you, Lucas Ripley.”

“I love you, too, Victoria Ripley.”

They remained connected for a few more minutes before he pulled out and quickly stood up to grab the blanket from the couch. He put it over their naked, sated bodies and pulled her close to him.

“You know someday in the near future that won’t just be love making,” he smirked while she looked at him questioningly. “It will be baby making,” he added and she laughed. “I mean that is if you still want babies?”

“With you?” She joked, making him burst into laughter.

“You’re being really cute right now,” he replied sarcastically.

“I know. You still love me though,” she winked while he nodded. “Of course I still want babies with you but not now. I don’t want to share you with anyone just yet. I want you all to myself,” she leaned in and kissed him. “Or do you want babies now?”

“I want them when you are ready. Well, when we are ready and I ain’t ready to share you with anyone either.”

“So, maybe in two years?”

“That sounds good. Do you have a number in mind?”

“I always thought two would be nice. One of each,” Vic rolled on top of him, playing with his golden locks. “A little girl with blondish curls and my eyes. And a brown haired boy with your gorgeous blue eyes.”

“They both should have your lips and nose,” he spoke. 

“I agree. My features are much prettier than yours,” she teased before squealing as he flipped them, Vic lying on her back again.

“They would be as stubborn as their mother,” she looked mock-hurt, “but also just as brave and smart,” she smiled at him lovingly.

“And they would be little smart-asses like their dad,” he chuckled, “but also as kind and generous.”

“God, I hope we don’t fuck up our kids,” Vic laughed, making him laugh as well.

“It’s bound to happen,” she nodded before yawning. “Looks like somebody is tired. Maybe we should sleep. Do you want to go upstairs?” She shook her head.

“I really like it down here. The carpet and blanket are so comfortable and soft,” he nodded in agreement. “And I really don’t want to move.”

Lucas rolled off of her, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms, spooning her. His hand firm on her stomach, hers covering his, his nose in the crook of her neck, breathing her in, making her giggle because of his beard tickling her skin.

“I love that sound,” he whispered into her ear.

“Goodnight, hubby,” she yawned again and closed her eyes.

“Goodnight, Eggy” he kissed her neck one more time before drifting off to sleep himself.   
  


* * *

  
Vic woke up in the middle of the night and looked at Lucas’ sleeping form. She smiled as she traced her fingers along the lines on his face. He was so handsome and he was hers but before Vic could kiss him awake, she realized she had to use the bathroom, so she got up, put on her underwear and quickly went. When she came back into the living room, she stood in front of the Christmas tree admiring the lights and ornaments. She had to admit that it was beautiful. Her mind wandered into the future when her and Lucas would have kids with tons of presents underneath the tree and them all sitting together unwrapping them. She loved that image and couldn’t wait for it to become reality someday. 

Something caught her eyes as she looked at the ornaments and one of them looked slightly different than the others. It was made of glass and had a little opening. Vic could see that there was something inside, something sparkly. She grabbed it and pulled something out and gasped when she realized that it was an engagement ring.

“I should have known that you would discover it before I got the chance to do this properly,” she heard from behind her and when she turned around, Lucas was already down on one knee, wearing only his boxer shorts. Vic couldn’t help but chuckle.

He took the ring from her hand and gazed into her eyes. “Months ago when I was looking for wedding bands for us to keep our charade up, I considered getting an engagement ring but decided against it because I wanted it to be special should we ever get to the point of realizing our feelings for each other and then it finally happened and I asked Jen for our mother’s ring,” Vic was looking at him with tears in her eyes. “My mother always said that one day she would give the ring to me to give it to someone special and she refused to let me have it for Celeste or Eva because she knew they weren’t the right ones but she would have given me this ring to give to you because she would have loved you so much. You are smart, kind and brave. You are so damn beautiful that I often wonder “what the hell is she doing with an old guy like me?”. Being with you is an adventure and I don’t think I have ever been happier than when I’m with you. You make every day special and I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with you. So, Victoria Katherine Hughes, do you want to be married to me for real?” Vic squealed before attacking him, flying into his arms, hugging him. She kissed him with all the love that she had before pulling away.

“Of course I want to. There is nothing that would make me happier than spending every single day with you by my side for the rest of our lives,” she peppered his face with kisses before he stopped her to put the ring on her finger. “It’s the perfect fit,” she smiled while looking at it.

“Yeah, it is,” he smiled back while looking at her.

“I can’t believe we just got engaged in our underwear,” Vic laughed.

“Just another fun story to tell our grand-kids someday,” he laughed as well before getting up from the floor. He held out his hand and pulled her to her feet and then carried her up the stairs to the bed where they made love again underneath the stars.   
  


* * *

 

  
Lucas woke up to the sound of pans and pots clanging and the smell of coffee and pancakes. He smiled as he stretched and went downstairs to find Vic in the kitchen, wearing his shirt and cooking them breakfast. He moved closer and hugged her from behind, Vic leaning into him, letting him pepper her neck with kisses.

“Merry Christmas, beautiful,” he whispered.

“Merry Christmas, handsome. Breakfast is almost done.”

“Okay, I will go and grab our luggage then,” he put on some clothes and went outside while she finished up in the kitchen.

By the time he was done unloading the car, she had the food ready on the table, so he quickly stripped down to his underwear again and sat down. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap, making her giggle and wiggle on top of him.

“If you keep this up then the food will get cold,” he warned her.

“Is that so?” He smirked at her. “Why would it get cold? What do you plan on doing with me, Chief Ripley,” she asked playfully.

“Don’t play coy with me, Hughes. You know exactly what I plan on doing with you. Right here on this chair,” his hand moved up her leg until he reached underneath his shirt and found her naked and wet.

“Luke, I’m actually starving,” she said but didn’t make a move to stop him as two of his long, thick fingers entered her, pumping in and out.

“I’m not stopping you. Go ahead and eat,” he replied as his thumb started to circle her clit, making her moan out loud. 

“Oh fuck!” Lucas smirked as he fucked her with his fingers, her wall squeezing them tightly. “You’re already so close I can feel it,” Vic’s head rolled back against his shoulder as he fucked her faster, enjoying the sounds coming out of her mouth. She moaned and begged for him to go faster until it seized her and she came with a silent cry, going boneless in his arms.

He licked his fingers clean, loving the taste of her while Vic turned in his arms to give him a deep kiss. 

“Let’s eat,” she said as she stood up on wobbly legs and sat down beside him. “So, what are the plans for today?”

“I was thinking, first breakfast, then a shower and some more sex,” he wiggled his eyebrows, making her roll her eyes and laugh. “And then I have a little surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

“If I tell you now then it’s not a surprise. You will have to wait and see,” he chuckled when she pouted and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

“It better be good,” she replied before taking a bite of her pancakes.

“I’m sure you will love it.”

“As long as it involves being with you,” she smiled.

“You know you always tease me for being overly cheesy but you’re no better,” he joked.

“Well, it looks like you are rubbing off on me,” she shifted in her seat, lifted her leg and moved her foot along his calf up his leg.

“Hughes, what do you think you are doing?” He smirked as he took a sip from his coffee.

“What does it feel like I’m doing, Chief Ripley?” She asked innocently as her foot started rubbing him through his boxer shorts.

“You are a little minx,” he panted as he felt his cock stir while she smiled at him sweetly.

Vic took another bite from her food before removing her leg from in between his, stood up and smiled wickedly. “Raise you to the bathroom,” she winked and started running but Lucas was faster and managed to grab her by the waist before throwing her over his shoulder, making her squeal and laugh.

“Lucas, you shouldn’t be carrying me. Put me down.”

“Not a chance,” he laughed before biting her ass playfully. 

“Did you really just bit my ass?”

“You have such a nice one,” he flirted as he walked into the bathroom and put her down.

“Is that all you like about me, Mr. Ripley?” she flirted back as he pulled her - his - shirt over her head and off her body before Vic removed his underwear.

“Let me see,” he lifted his hand to cup her cheek. “I love your eyes. They are my favorite thing about you. They are so expressive and I can get lost in them whenever I look into them. I love the way they sparkle when you are on the job or when you are with me.”

“That’s because I love you and my job very much,” she admitted as they stepped back into the shower, his hand still on her cheek.

“I also love your lips,” he traced them with his thumb. “They are so soft and plump and if I could I would kiss you all the time,” he leaned in to kiss her beautiful lips. 

He removed his hand from her cheek and pressed it against her chest. “Actually, I was lying. My favorite thing about you is your heart,” Vic gasped. “The way you take care of the people around you, the way you are so passionate about helping others and the way you brought me back to life with your love,” Lucas was getting choked up. “You are the most compassionate, loving and caring person I’ve ever met and I’m so lucky to be loved by you,” she reached up to wipe the tears from his cheek.

“You are making me cry,” she frowned, making him chuckle.

“I’m sorry, my love. What would you rather have me do?” He asked playfully as he turned on the water.

“How about you make me scream?” 

“Oh, I think I can do that,” Lucas smirked as he made his wife scream over and over again.

When they finally finished an hour later, they got dressed and while Vic did her hair and make up, Lucas checked on his surprise for her. 

He exited the cabin and found his old friend there with two white horses and a sleigh, ready for him and Vic.

“It’s so good to see you, Luke. Merry Christmas,” he said while shaking his hand.

“Merry Christmas to you too and good to see you, too, Mark. It’s been way too long since I’ve been here,” his friend nodded in agreement. “Those are beautiful horses. Vic will love them.”

“Where is the latest Mrs. Ripley?” 

“She is getting ready. And she is the only Mrs. Lucas Ripley there will ever be,” he beamed.

“Well, she must be special then if you are so taken with her,” Mark laughed.

“What can I say, she is the one,” he smiled as he heard the door open behind him.

“Oh my God,” Vic exclaimed as she moved closer and saw the horses. “Is it okay to touch them?” Mark nodded and she started to rub the horses necks. “They are so beautiful. I wanna take them with us,” she joked.

“Sorry, I’m not giving them away but you can have them for the day,” Mark teased. “I’m Mark,” he held out his hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry. How rude of me,” Vic shook his hand. “I’m Victoria but everyone calls me Vic.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you. Luke has told me so much about you.”

“Is that so? I hope only the good stuff,” Mark just nodded.

“Well, I gotta get back to work. I hope you two have fun today. Oh and before I forget, Pamela and I would love to have you over at our house for our annual Christmas party. If you are up for it of course.”

“We would love to,” Vic answered before Lucas could say anything.

“Perfect,” Mark smiled at her. “It was great to meet you, Vic and happy to have you two here.” 

Lucas watched him walk away and turned around to see Vic talking to the horses.

Her hair was up in braids and she was wearing white earmuffs that made her look ridiculously cute. Lucas was falling in love with her all over again. She noticed him staring, making him blush.

“What are you looking at?” She asked shyly. 

“You,” he smiled as she walked over to where he was standing and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You look so beautiful and cute,” she beamed at him as she gave him a soft kiss.

“Well, then how about you take your beautiful and cute wife on a sleigh ride then?” 

“That sounds like a perfect idea,” he helped her into the sleigh and got in himself sitting down beside her. Vic put the blanket over the laps and snuggled into him.

“Do you even know where we are going?” Vic wondered as the horses started pulling the sleigh.

“Wherever the horses take us,” he put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. 

Lucas watched her as she took everything in. The big trees covered in snow and the mountains surrounding them.

“Do you like it here?”

“I love it here,” she answered in awe.

“So, you are glad that we are here and not somewhere on the beach,” he teased.

“I didn’t say that,” she countered, making him chuckle. “Though this place is magical. I’m glad we are here.”

“You are?” She nodded. “That’s good because I would love to come back here each year. Make it a tradition especially when we have kids. This could be a great place for them.”

“I would love that very much especially coming here with our kids. I think they would enjoy it. Making snow angels, building snowmen and going on sleigh rides together. Although coming here with kids means no more love making in front of the fireplace unless we want to scare them for life,” she looked up at him with a pout which made Lucas laugh.

“Well, we agreed we are bound to fuck them up,” Vic laughed.

“Do you think I will be a good mom?” She asked seriously and he hated to hear her doubt herself.

“Remember what I said about your heart?” She nodded. “Our kids will be so lucky to have you as their mother.”

“And they will be lucky to have you as their dad,” Vic replied.

“You think so?” His own doubt showing.

“I know so because I love your heart, too. You are so kind and loving and so strong. I hope our kids turn out to be like you,” Vic kissed his cheek. “And you raised Jennifer and she turned into a wonderful person. You will be an amazing dad,” she assured him.

“I know I sound like a broken record but I really love you,” he gazed into her eyes.

“I love hearing you say it,” she kissed his lips, “and I love you, too. With all my heart.”

They continued their adventure, exploring more of their surroundings, discovering all sorts of animals and watching parents play in the snow with their children until Vic’s stomach growled and they had to stop for some lunch before continuing their journey.

By the time they came back to their cabin it was quite late, so they quickly changed and got ready for Mark’s Christmas party and left.   
  


* * *

  
Vic was fidgeting when they entered Mark’s impressive house. It was clear that he had money and judging from the clothes that everyone was wearing it looked like the guests did too. She felt a little bit out of place in her simple black dress and in addition she appeared to be one of the youngest people there if you didn’t count the kids.

“Are you okay?” Lucas asked and she nodded nervously. “You don’t have to be nervous. They will love you.”

“I’m not sure.”

“I know they will. You are quite lovable,” he whispered and kissed her cheek while his arm wrapped around her waist to pull her closer. Vic immediately relaxed and smiled.

“Luke, Victoria!” She heard someone call out. When she looked up she saw Mark and a pretty blonde, who she assumed was Pamela, walk towards them. “Welcome to our humble home,” he joked as his wife hugged Lucas and then turned towards her and hugged her as well.

“Merry Christmas! It’s great to finally meet you, Victoria. Lucas has been gushing about you over the phone while planning this trip,” she grabbed Vic’s hand and admired the ring on her finger. “And I see the little surprise worked out just fine.” 

“She actually discovered it before I was ready,” Lucas admitted.

“It was still a great surprise,” Vic kissed his cheek and snuggled closer.

“You two are really sweet. I’m happy to see Lucas so happy,” Pamela beamed before grabbing Vic’s hand again and whisking her away from the men. “Let’s leave the men alone and mingle. There are some people I want you to meet.” Vic turned to look at her husband who gave her a reassuring smile. “I promise I don’t bite,” Pamela teased and Vic laughed.

“Sorry, it’s just I...” she didn’t know what to say without hurting the hostess’ feelings.

“You feel a bit out of place?” Vic nodded. “Don’t. We dress up all fancy for this party but most of us are really nice and down to earth people,” Vic looked a bit nervous. “Of course there are the occasional snobs but something tells me that you can handle those. I mean you fight fires for a living, so.” Vic chuckled.

“I think right now I would prefer running into a burning building,” she joked.

“Well, the night is still young,” the hostess joked and Vic laughed out loud.

Pamela was right. The people at the party were nice and down to earth for the most part. They were very interested in her job and in awe of her. It was a great boost for Vic’s ego to have people admire her like that. She had always been proud of the fact that she was a firefighter and saved people on a regular basis.

She excused herself when she had to use the restroom. She had been so nervous all night long that she drank a lot of champagne to calm her nerves, so she quickly disappeared into the bathroom. Vic was glad that she was able to hold her liquor or she would have been drunk with the amount she drank. She suddenly heard the door open and two women talking.

“Did you see that young thing that Lucas Ripley brought? Where did he find her? A catalogue?” Vic’s blood started to boil.

“I heard she is a firefighter like him and they have been married for a few months.”

“Married? Really? What does a guy like him see in her? He is totally out of her league. I’ll give them a year tops.”

“You must be off your meds. Did you see the way he was looking at her? The way they were looking at each other? It was like no one else was in the room. These two are relationship goals.”

“Come on. This must be some sort of midlife crisis. She could be his daughter.”

Vic was fuming, listening to that one woman but she couldn’t move. 

“Now you are just being a bitch. They look great together and who cares about the age difference. They seem obviously in love. You are just upset that he never called you back after that one date a few years ago.”

It stung a bit to hear that Lucas went on a date with a woman like that but he obviously didn’t like her or he would have called back, so she suppressed her anger.

“I thought we clicked.”

“Well, obviously you didn’t but they do click, so stop putting her down like that just because you are jealous.”

“I still don’t think she is good enough for him.”

“Well, good thing your opinion doesn’t matter,” the other woman said before leaving.

Vic took a deep breath, steeling herself she flushed the toilet and exited. The snobby lady that had trash talked her paled at the sight of her.

Vic smirked as she washed her hands, looking at the other woman. “Lucas called his best friend while on our first date to tell him that he found the one,” she simply said as she dried her hands and left the bathroom with a big smile on her face.

Vic walked through the big house and stopped in front of the room where all the kids were playing. She smiled as she watched them when a little red haired girl came up to her.

“You are the prettiest lady here,” she told her and Vic’s heart melted.

“Thank you and you are the prettiest little girl here,” she replied as she crouched in front of the child. “My name is Vic. What’s your name?”

“Daphne,” she answered shyly.

“That’s a really pretty name.”

“I love your braids. Did you do them yourself?” Vic nodded. “Can you braid my hair too?” She nodded again as Daphne grabbed her hand and led her to a little bench. Vic set down while the little girl climbed onto her lap and she started braiding her hair. Soon the other girls in the room requested to have their hair braided too and Vic laughed and did as asked.

“Do you want to play with us, Miss Vic?” little Sally asked when everyone was done and so Vic joined them. She was so engaged with the kids that she didn’t notice Lucas walk into the room until she felt someone sit down behind her on the floor.

“Hey you,” he kissed her shoulder as she leaned back against him. “I was wondering where you disappeared.”

“Who is that?” Little Brandon asked slightly annoyed at Lucas’ presence. Vic had to suppress a laugh. 

“This is my husband. He is a firefighter,” Brandon’s eyes went wide.

“I want to be a firefighter too,” he exclaimed happily.

“Can girls be firefighters too?” Daphne asked.

“Of course they can,” Lucas said and looked at Vic. “Vic is a firefighter. One of the best.”

Everyone gasped.

“You are a firefighter and you know how to do braids and you are so pretty,” they gushed, making her blush.

“Isn’t Miss Vic just awesome?” Her hubby asked the kids and they all nodded in agreement.

“You are very lucky, mister,” Sally said, making Lucas chuckle.

“I really am. My wife is like Wonder Woman,” Vic felt herself blush.

“Just so much prettier,” Daphne nodded.

“Yes, she is,” Lucas kissed her cheek and Vic had never felt as loved and cherished as in that moment, in the arms of the love of her life, surrounded by the kids.She loved this feeling and she loved Lucas. 

They spent most of the evening playing with the kids until they were too tired and had to go to bed. Daphne ended up falling asleep on Lucas, so he had to put her to bed which Mark and Pamela appreciated. Vic watched him and fantasized about him putting their own little girl to bed. She couldn’t help but smile. 

When they came back to the cabin, they made love in front of the fireplace again before he carried her upstairs to make some more love underneath the stars. Vic could definitely get used to that.   
  


* * *

  
Lucas woke up the next morning with Vic still sleeping peacefully next to him. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his body and settled on the bench in front of the window, watching the snow fall.

He had to think back to his childhood when he spent every Christmas with his parents and Jennifer in Aspen. It was always his favorite time of the year and the tradition continued even when he started college but then his parents died and the happy memories turned into a painful reminder of their loss, so they didn’t come back until his godson was born. Lucas had spent a few Christmases there with the Sullivans and they had created new memories and now that he had Vic he could start a new tradition with her and their own kids someday. He smiled at that thought.

“Babe,” he suddenly heard and looked up to find his gorgeous wife in front of him, wearing a flimsy nightgown, shivering slightly. Lucas opened his arms and she settled between his legs, her back against his chest. Lucas wrapped his arms and blanket around her and kissed her temple. “Is everything okay? I was calling your name a few times but you didn’t react.”

“I’m fine. I was just thinking about my parents,” he confessed. “We used to come here every Christmas but then they died and…” he paused.

“I’m sorry, babe. I know how much it hurts losing your parents,” Lucas sighed as he remembered that Vic had been on her own since she was nineteen.

“I’m sorry. I had Jennifer at least. You were all alone after they died,” he replied sympathetically.

“Yeah. Our Christmas tradition was ice skating at Rockefeller Center. They always had that huge Christmas tree up there that I loved so much and afterwards we would go to this little cafe where we would drink hot chocolate with marshmallows. It was simple but I loved it. After they died, Christmas became a painful memory, so I spent all my Christmases working so I wouldn’t think much of it. This is the first Christmas since they died where I remember the time with them and don’t feel this ache in my chest but feel happy and at peace. If that makes sense at all,” Lucas simply nodded. He knew exactly what she was talking about. “I can’t wait to have our own traditions here and at home,” she turned head to peck his lips. “You know I was thinking. A year top and as many as we can have within ten years,” she said and Lucas looked at her confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“Kids. We wait a year before we start trying to get pregnant and I want at least three of them or maybe more. We both didn’t have much family growing up and I would like a big family with you.”

“Okay. What made you decide that?”

“Last night when we spend time with the kids, I just really enjoyed that and I mean I knew you are amazing with kids because I’ve seen you with Bobby Jr. but seeing you last night just made me want it to happen sooner rather than later and I definitely want more than just one kid because I wouldn’t want our child to be an only child like I was,” she turned a little bit so she could look him in the eyes. “Also, I know we don’t really talk much about our age difference but it’s there and you will be quite a bit older than most dads when our kids graduate, so I don’t know how you feel about having lots of them.”

“Honestly, I didn’t think it would take me this long to have children but I’m glad that I waited because I wouldn’t want to have them with anyone but you and sure I will be older than most dads and I’m sure our kids will complain about that but they will have to deal with it,” they both chuckled. “What about your career?” He asked seriously.

“What about it?”

“If we plan on having so many kids, where does that leave your career?”

“I mean I can still advance after we have our kids. If we keep going until I’m forty, I can concentrate more on getting promoted afterwards.”

“Are you sure you are okay with that?” Lucas didn’t want her to wake up one day and resent him for missed opportunities.

“You know I love my job and of course I would love to be Lieutenant someday and maybe even Captain but I also want our family and that one might be a bit harder to achieve than promotions so I rather focus on that a year from now than promotions,” she smiled at him as he listened carefully. She made a good point and if this is what she wanted then who was he to say no to her. 

“Do you want me to retire? I mean, I could retire when we stop trying. I will be almost fifty-five. I think fifteen years as the Fire Chief is a good run and I can concentrate more on the kids while you climb the ranks.”

“Can you even do that?” She wondered.

“I mean I can always quit,” it wasn’t something that he wanted to do but he would for Vic and his family.

“I wouldn’t want you to quit. I want you to do it for as long as possible. I love being the First Lady of the Fire Department,” she wiggled her eyebrows. “We will figure it all out as we go. In the meantime, we can practice,” Vic suggested.

Lucas laughed. “As if we need practice.” He joked as he nibbled her neck.

They didn’t leave the cabin that day or the next. They didn’t really have to. They had everything they needed right there.   
  


* * *

  
On Friday, they finally emerged from their little love nest and visited Mark and Pamela for breakfast.

“Look at you two. You two are glowing. What have you been up to?” Pamela asked, making them both blush. “Have you two even left the cabin since you left our place?” Their blush deepened and their friend laughed. “Oh to be young and in love again,” she smiled before looking at Lucas. “Or in your case, just in love,” she laughed before walking away with the happy couple following her.

“Did she just call me old?” Lucas complained.

“Well, if the shoe fits,” Vic replied, laughing before joining Pamela in the kitchen.

“I didn’t get to tell you the other night but the kids loved you. They called you a real life Disney princess.”

“They did? That’s very sweet. I never really saw myself as a princess.”

“Well you definitely look like one. Lucas is very lucky to have found himself someone as gorgeous as you are,” Pamela complimented her as she handed her a cup of coffee.

“Stop it! You are making me blush,” Vic took a sip. 

“By the way, you have to show me how to do those braids. Daphne wouldn’t stop talking about it and I am not really good with it,” she admitted.

“She is such a sweet and pretty girl and so polite.”

“Thank you. That’s very nice to hear.”

“Where is she?”

“Miss Vic!” She suddenly heard and before she knew it, the little girl was hugging her tightly.

“Well, there she is. My little monster,” her mother teased.

“You have to show mommy how to braid my hair. She is no good at it,” Daphne complained, making Vic chuckle.

“Of course I will show her,” she said as she picked her up and carried her into the dining room.

“Good morning, Daphne,” Lucas greeted her as Vic sat down next to him with the girl on her lap.

“Good morning, mister Lucas. Miss Vic is going to show my mom how to braid my hair,” she said excitedly, making her husband chuckle.

“Is that so?” The girl nodded. “My Eggy always has the best hair styles.”

“What’s an Eggy?”

“That’s my nickname for her,” Lucas explained.

“Can I also call you Eggy?” Vic nodded at her. “Yay!!”

They ended up staying longer than originally planned and eventually had lunch there as well. They left afterwards and spent the rest of the day in town shopping for gifts for their families and friends before driving back to their cabin to pack.

Later that day, they were lying in bed, gazing at the stars after a couple of rounds of love making.

“I can’t believe we have to go back tomorrow. I really don’t want to leave this place,” Vic confessed, making him laugh.

“And you didn’t even want to come here in the first place,” Lucas teased.

“Will you ever let that go?”

“Probably not,” he snickered. “You know, I miss our family and friends but I could stay here longer for sure but we have to go back. You are out of vacation days,” Vic pouted.

“Then maybe we should stop wasting precious time. I think somebody promised more orgasms,” she purred as her hand found his cock to stroke him to full hardness before climbing on top of him and sinking down on his cock, taking him to the hilt.

“You feel so good. So wet, tight and warm,” he moaned as she started riding him, his hands squeezing her breasts, his thumbs circling her nipples.

He looked down to where their bodies were joined and gasped as he watched his hard cock disappear inside her tight pussy over and over again. “Fuck!”

“Lucas,” Vic groaned as she bounced up and down on him, her inner walls squeezing him tightly, making his eyes roll back in his head. He let go of her breasts and fisted the sheets as she rode him hard into the mattress and he could feel himself getting closer. He looked up at her and she looked like a goddess. Her hair wild with her eyes closed while biting her lower lip. Her face was screwed up in concentration as she took everything he had to offer. Lucas grabbed her hips to pull her down on him while he thrusted up into her, earning himself a loud moan from her. So he did it again and again before pressing down on her clit with his thumb. She cried out his name as she came but Lucas didn’t stop circling her bundle of nerves and pressed down even harder while still pumping into her, making her fall over the edge one more time before finally spilling himself into her, filling her with his seed.

Vic collapsed onto him, boneless and sweaty, with a big smile on her face, her hair sticking to her forehead. Lucas brushed her hair from her forehead before grabbing her face and kissing her soundly.

She moved off of him, immediately missing the feeling of being joined, and plopped down beside him, snuggling into his chest. She kissed the scar on his chest from his surgery and looked up at him.

“I love you so much, Lucas,” she whispered against his lips before kissing him.

“I love you, too, Victoria,” he replied before hugging her to him and falling asleep.   
  


* * *

  
Their departure on Saturday went off without a hitch. There were no delays at the airport and they made it back to Seattle in record time. Vic had to admit that she had missed Seattle. She couldn’t wait to finally get to their house and sleep in their bed and see her friends again.

“What are you thinking about?” He asked while driving home.

“Um, just about how much I missed my team. I can’t wait to tell them all about our vacation.”

“You are not going to tell them about, well you know,” he wondered. Vic knew it was probably weird for him that his employees knew about his sex life but she couldn’t help that all her friends were people that worked for him.

“You mean all the sex we had?” He nodded.

“I won’t have to tell them about it. They will know by just looking at me. Also, I’m a little bit sore,” she confessed.

“I’m sorry,” Lucas apologized.

“I’m not. I had the best time,” she smiled at him before turning her gaze back to the road. 

As they came closer to their house, Vic could make out several cars in front of it that looked like news trucks and people with microphones and cameras.

“What the hell?” Lucas cursed.

“Lucas, what’s going on?” She asked as he parked in front of their home and the reporters started to gather around them. “What are all these reporters doing here?”

“I have no idea.”

“What do we do?” Vic was quite overwhelmed with what was going on.

“We get out and try to get inside the house. They can’t follow us inside,” Vic nodded. “You ready?” She nodded again and as they opened the doors they were bombarded with questions.

“Chief Ripley, is it true that you forced firefighter Hughes to stay married to you so you wouldn’t lose your job?” one of the reporters asked.

“Victoria Hughes, did you trick the Chief into marrying you for a better position?” Another one asked.

Several more questions like that were shouted at them and Vic wanted to yell at all of them but that probably wouldn’t help. Instead she held onto her husband as they made their way to the house and finally inside.

“Lucas, how did they find out?” Vic asked as he locked their door.

“I have no idea,” he replied as they walked into the living room to find their friends and family sitting there, startling them both.

“What the hell really happened in Vegas,” Andy asked curiously while her father paced up and down.

“I knew he would ruin her life,” he muttered and stared Lucas down. 

Vic had to admit that he looked quite scary and if looks could kill then she would be a widow right now.


	23. An Explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas tell their friends the truth about Vegas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. I've been super busy. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Vic and Lucas stared at each other and sighed. He took her hand in his and they sat down on the piano bench and looked at the confused faces of their friends.

“You better start talking,” Captain Herrera bellowed at Lucas.

“You don’t get to yell at my husband in his own house. Show some respect,” Vic yelled at her Captain.

“Like the respect he showed you when he forced you into this marriage?”

“Is that true, Vic? Did he force you?” Andy asked as Vic tightened her hold on Lucas’ hand.

“No, he didn’t. It was my decision to play along.”

“I don’t get it. You two look like you are in love,” Dean spoke.

“We are in love,” Vic assured him, pulling Lucas’ hand into her lap and holding it tight. 

“Yeah now but you two looked in love all those months ago when you announced that you got married.”

“Well, we were attracted to each other for sure and felt something for each other but we didn’t know exactly what because the night in Vegas was a blur but we remember most of it now except for the part where we actually got married,” Lucas spoke this time and together they explained what had happened.

“So you two didn’t date before Vegas?” Jack asked. The couple shook their heads. “You got drunk in Vegas and got married there and then decided to just stay married?” They nodded. “Why would you do that?”

“That’s kinda my fault,” Frankel spoke up and explained her hand in the mess, earning herself a glare from Captain Herrera.

“You of all people are responsible for all this? I can’t believe that you let that happen,” he yelled at her.

“I don’t regret anything. These two are made for each other and in love and happy. Instead of yelling at me or Lucas you should try and help us figure out who blabbed and why,” Vic mouthed a thank you towards Frankel. She was grateful that she was on their side and wanted to help them make it all go away.

“Look guys, I’m not proud of lying to you but it is what it is and no one forced me into anything and I regret nothing. I love Lucas and he loves me. We want to be together and it shouldn’t matter how it happened. We are happy and in love as Deb said,” she smiled at her superior, “and if you have a problem with it, you know where the door is,” she stared her captain down. “If you want to help us figure a way out of this mess, you are welcome to stay.”

She turned to her husband, gave him a kiss and stood up to pour herself a drink that she drowned in one gulp before walking into the kitchen. She needed some space. She needed to breathe.

She’d be lying if she said that she wasn’t scared what this scandal could mean for both their careers. The other day she was talking about promotions and now she wasn’t even sure if she would still have a job because of this mess.

“Vic?” She heard Travis as he entered the kitchen. She didn’t react, kept her back towards him until she felt him right behind her and then he just wrapped her in his arms and pulled her towards him. “I wish I knew how to help you,” he whispered into her ear as Vic let the tears fall.

“You’re helping by just being here,” she assured him. “I don’t want Lucas to lose his job over this. I don’t want him to lose it and resent me for it someday.”

“Are you crazy? I’m sure your hubby is already planning his resignation and taking the fall for all of this, so you can keep your job. I’ve never seen anyone who loves another person as much as Lucas Ripley loves you. He could never resent you. He wants what’s best for you.”

“And I want what’s best for him,” Vic replied as she wiped away her tears.

“Then we will fight and make this go away,” he let go of her and she turned around to face him.

“When did all this happen?” Vic asked.

“Two days ago. We all tried to call you but your phones were turned off and we couldn’t reach you otherwise,” she sighed. She should have known that something bad would happen. Things were going too smoothly for them.

“Thank you, Travis. You’re a great friend,” she said and pulled him into her arms.

“Come on, let’s get back in there and figure out what to do next.”

They walked back into the living room to see everyone still there and Lucas getting off the phone.

“That was HR. They wanna see us first thing on Monday. They said that our lawyer should be present,” he told her before wrapping his arms around her. “Everything’s gonna be fine, Eggy. I promise,” he said while kissing her forehead.

“You can’t promise me that. We are screwed,” he chuckled. “That’s not funny, Lucas.”

“Do you plan on leaving me because of all this?” He asked her seriously.

“What?” She pulled away from him and stared at him in shock. “No, of course not. I would never leave you. I love you!” She half-yelled, making everyone stare at them.

“In that case, everything will be fine. All I need is you by my side and I will make sure that you get to keep your job.”

“What about yours?”

“It doesn’t mean as much to me as you do,” Vic sighed.

“On the bright side, if we both lose our jobs we can start on those babies sooner than we thought,” she whispered so no one could hear them, making him chuckle.

“Always seeing the glass half full, Mrs. Ripley,” he teased and kissed her nose.

“How are you two so calm about all this? It’s not just your jobs on the line here,” Sully interrupted their moment, obviously upset.

“This is on us,” Lucas pointed between them.” You guys had nothing to do with this. I’m not letting anyone go down for this. I promise. Just trust me. I will make this right.”

Their friends looked doubtful. “So, we are just supposed to pretend that we didn’t know about this?” Sully asked.

“Yes,” Lucas and Vic said in unison. 

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Maya wondered.

“I created this mess I should try and fix it,” Frankel spoke up.

“No, I don’t want anyone involved in this. I’m gonna take care of this,” Lucas said.

“No,  _ we _ are going to take care of this,” Vic corrected him while entwining their hands. “Together,” he smiled while squeezing her hand. Vic knew that as long as they had each others back they would be fine. 

“I’m gonna go upstairs to take a shower and change while Luke orders some food. You guys are more than welcome to stay.”

She quickly kissed her husband and left the room without another word.   
  


* * *

  
Lucas watched her walk upstairs and turned back towards his friends. 

Captain Herrera came closer until he was standing right in front of him. “You better make this right for her. She is one of the best firefighters I’ve ever had and doesn’t deserve any of this,” Lucas sighed. “I can tell that she loves you and that you love her, so make this right for her. She still has a lot to achieve in this job.” 

“I agree and I will do anything in my power so she can have it all.”

“You better,” the older man warned him and left his home.

“I’m really sorry, Luke,” Deb apologized and he smiled at her.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn’t do anything wrong,” he assured her. He couldn’t be mad at her. If she hadn’t intervened who knows what would have happened. He is not sure that he would be with Vic right now without Deb.

“If there is anything I can do to help you fix this, please let me know,” she stood up from the couch and walked over to him, patting him on the shoulder before leaving as well.

Lucas sighed when he heard the reporters and photographers that were still outside of his place.

“Chief, I’ll call my friend Ryan. He’s a police officer and can take care of what’s going on outside,” Herrera offered and he thanked her.

“I’ll order food for whoever is staying. We could have a belated Christmas celebration,” Travis suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Claire replied. “And you should go wash up and change as well,” she said to Lucas who just nodded and followed Vic upstairs.

He found her in the shower, crying and it broke his heart. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, hoping that it would give her some comfort.

“What are you doing here? Did everyone leave?” She looked up at him with a sad smile. 

“Claire ordered me to go wash up and change. Deb and Pruitt left. The rest is still downstairs. They are ordering food and we are having a little Christmas celebration. Herrera… um, Andy is calling the cops to get the reporters off our lawn,” he wiped her tears away. “I’m so sorry about this. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“But it still hurt you or you wouldn’t be here crying right now,” he answered sadly.

“I’m gonna be fine. We’re gonna be fine,” he nodded and kissed her. “I wish we could just stay up here and fuck each others brains out. Just forget about what is happening out there,” she tried to lighten the mood..

“I don’t think our friends would appreciate that especially considering how loud you get when I actually do fuck your brains out,” Vic laughed and Lucas loved that sound. That’s the sound he wanted to hear from her for the rest of their lives and not crying. “But I promise tonight when they are all gone, I’ll make you scream,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

“You better keep that promise, Chief.”

“Oh trust me, Hughes, I will,” he kissed her again, letting the kiss linger before pulling away again.   

They quickly finished showering and changed into some fresh clothes before going back downstairs. 

“The police was here and removed the reporters and the guys brought your luggage inside,” Herrera informed them.

“Food may take a while,” Travis added.

Vic joined her team on the couch while Lucas looked around for his best friend.

“He is in the backyard,” Claire let him know. He nodded, grabbed a jacket and went outside.

“Hey,” Sully turned around and gave him a tight smile. “I didn’t mean to drag you into any of this.”

“I know and I’m sorry for before. I can’t blame you. I knew what I was doing. I just wanted my best friend happy like I am.”

“And I am happy,” Lucas assured him.

“Even if you end up losing your job?” 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and I love being the Chief but if I have to give it up to be with Vic, I will do it in a heartbeat. She means everything to me. I want her and our kids more than the job,” he confessed and Sully gave him a curious look. “No, we are not expecting but we decided that we would start trying in about a year. She wants them as much as I do.”

“I’m happy for you. Both of you,” he gave him a genuine smile.

“Thanks,” Lucas rubbed his beard. “Look, I know you are worried about how all this will reflect on you and I promise that I won’t get you involved in this. The last thing I want is to mess with your life, especially with a new baby on the way.”

“What are you going to say when they ask you who else knew about this?”

“That it was just me and Vic and we decided all on our own.”

“Who do you think outed you? And why?“

“Well, there are plenty of people who don’t like me being the Chief, so I can think of a few. They want me gone and a scandal is the perfect way to get what they want.”

“But how did they find out?” 

“That I don’t know. Once we face HR, hopefully we will know more and I can go from there.”

“What if they know about the voicemail? That means you can’t keep Frankel and me out of it,” Lucas sighed because his friend was right. He needed to be smart about this.

“I know,” he replied. “I will take care of it. I promise. Whatever it takes,” his best friend nodded. “Come on, let’s go back inside. It’s getting cold.”   
  


* * *

  
Andy watched her boss kiss her friend’s forehead before she joined them on the couch. She never quite understood what Vic saw in him. Not that he wasn’t good looking but Andy just didn’t think that they had anything in common but as she was watching them while they explained everything before, she knew that they were the real deal. Nonetheless, she was still worried about Vic because a scandal like that could ruin any chance at a promotion or she may even lose her job completely and her dad was right, Vic was one of the best and she didn’t want her to have to give up her job.

“Spit it out, Andy. I know you want to ask me something,” Andy sighed. Vic had always been good at reading her.

“Is he really worth potentially losing your job for?” Andy expected Vic to look upset about her question but instead Vic just smiled at her and Andy already had her answer but Vic still replied.

“He definitely is. Luke would totally tease me for it like I always tease him but he is the love of my life. Some people go their entire lives without finding this sort of love. I’m not willing to give him up for my job.” Andy could tell that Vic was sure about this and there was no changing her mind.

“How are you not more upset with Frankel and what she did to you?” She wondered. She would have never let Frankel get away with what she did.

“She didn’t do anything,” Vic defended Frankel.

“She forced you into this,” Dean said.

Vic groaned. “Guys, look, I don’t need you to understand what Lucas and I have or even like it but I do need you to trust me that I know what I’m doing and that I am happier than I’ve ever been and that I’m totally head over heels in love with my husband. Can you support that, please?”

They nodded and Vic smiled again. “Great. Okay, now that we got this out of the way, who wants their Christmas presents?” Vic changed the subject as everyone just nodded their head.

Vic walked over to one of the suitcases and rolled it over to the couch before opening it up, revealing their presents.

“Wow, that’s all for us?” Maya asked.

“For my team, the Sullivans, Jennifer and also for Frankel who sadly left before I could give it to her.”

“What about my dad?” Andy wondered.

“I even have something for your dad. He is family after all even though he doesn’t like the fact that I’m married to Lucas.” Andy sighed. She understood where her father was coming from and that he could be harsh at times but he really only wanted what’s best for Vic.

“He was starting to accept you two but then this whole thing happened and well it upsets him because he doesn’t want you to get hurt in all of this,” Andy explained.

“I know but I can take care of myself,” Vic countered.

“I know. I’m sure he knows too but just worries, like dads do,” Vic smiled and nodded.

“Can you think of anyone who would out you two like that?” Jack asked curiously. Andy had wondered about that as well.

“I know that there are a few people that have been after Lucas’ job since he became Chief. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of them was behind it but I don’t know how they could have found out. What I do know is that I need you guys to support me here. I know you think what we did was wrong but I don’t regret it.”

“We’re here for you,” Maya assured her and squeezed her hand and Andy felt a pang of jealousy. Maya had known the truth and she was practically Vic’s family now that she was dating Jennifer.

“Yes, we are,” Andy reassured her and smiled. “Sorry for being judgy about all this. I was just worried about you.”

“I know, Andy. Thanks,” Vic replied and quickly hugged her before glancing at the clock. “Where the hell is the food. I’m starving,” she complained, making everyone laugh.

“Did Lucas propose,” Travis suddenly asked while grabbing Vic’s hand. Everyone looked at them confused..

“Um, Travis in case you’ve missed it. They are already married,” Dean joked, earning himself a glare from him.

“I know that, smartass, but there is an engagement ring on Vic’s finger that wasn’t there before,” he explained and Vic beamed at him.

“He did propose. It was his mother’s ring,” she showed it off proudly and Andy couldn’t help but smile at her friend and how giddy and happy she was about this. “Once this whole thing is resolved, we are going to renew our vows with all our friends and family there. We want to do this right. We want you all to be there and celebrate with us,” she shrugged as the doorbell finally rang.

Vic jumped up and grabbed her purse. “Finally! I was ready to hunt them down,” she said as she opened the door and paid for the food.

The rest of the night was spent together, eating delicious take out, celebrating Christmas together as a family and exchanging gifts. 

Andy had to admit that after spending the entire day with them, her mind was put at ease. Watching Vic and Ripley together reminded her of her parents. They looked just as happy and in love. She knew that whatever was coming their way, they would get through it together.   
  


* * *

  
Just as promised, her hubby had made her scream once their friends and family had left. Vic knew that she would never get tired of making love to him or just being fucked thoroughly. She stretched her sore muscles before turning in his arms, one hand caressing his bearded cheek, her thumb tracing his lips. Lucas bit her finger lightly, making her laugh before leaning in to kiss him softly. She pulled away and just gazed at him.

“I love you so much,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” he replied. Vic sighed. “What’s wrong?”

“How come you are so calm about everything? Aren’t you the least bit worried?”

“I’m calm on the outside but on the inside I’m worried. I’m worried that I ruined your career,” he confessed and Vic felt like crying. She hated that he was blaming himself for this when it was both their faults.

“We both agreed to this. This is on both of us,” he tried to look away but Vic didn’t let him. “No, don’t do that, Lucas Ripley. I don’t regret a thing. As long as I have you I don’t care about anything else. Do you hear me?”

Lucas nodded. “I don’t deserve you.”

“That’s not true. We are made for each other. There is no one out there better suited for me than you and there is no one better out there for you than me,” she beamed.

“You’re right, Eggy,” he agreed and kissed her nose.

“Get used to it, hubby,” he groaned as she started stroking him to hardness. “How about we stop talking and you make me scream some more,” Vic wiggled her eyebrows as she moved on top of him, taking him into her body.

“I will never get tired of this,” he moaned as she started riding him hard.

And just like before they made each other scream over and over again, for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be wrapping this story up soonish.


	24. Nothing but the truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic, Lucas and Station 19 face HR.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not updating in so long. Time was limited esp in December and I spent what little free time I had with making manips of Vicley which can be found here: https://twitter.com/i/moments/1209781193698357251
> 
> I really hope you like this new chapter. It's quite long and hopefully makes up for the long wait. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think and enjoy!

On Monday morning, Vic and Lucas walked hand in hand into headquarters, feeling slightly nervous but also hopeful that things would work out for them. They had spent all of Sunday calling witnesses from Vegas in case they needed them to testify on their behalf. Everyone had been more than happy to help them which they were grateful for. Vic and Lucas had decided to come without their lawyer Jim. They thought it was best to deal with it on their own.

“Good morning,” Lucas greeted the assistant.

“Welcome Chief Ripley. Mrs. Ripley,” she nodded at them and stood up. “Please follow me. Everyone is waiting for you,” she told them as she opened the door.

“Are you ready?” Lucas asked his wife. Vic just smiled at him and nodded before giving him a quick peck on the lips. “Okay, let’s do this.”

When they entered the room, they came face to face with Mayor Langston, Commissioner Jameson, the head of HR Janet Goodwin and several Battalion Chiefs including Frankel.

Lucas inhaled sharply as Vic squeezed his hand, giving him strength and confidence.

“Chief Ripley. Mrs. Ripley,” Janet greeted them, “please take a seat so we can start,” she told them as they sat down, still holding hands. “We are here today because some allegations have been made against the two of you and your marriage. Today we will determine if there is any truth to it and eventually launch a full investigation into the matter.” 

“What exactly are the allegations?” Lucas asked.

“It was brought to our attention that the two of you got drunk in Vegas, got married and decided to stay married to save your jobs and plan on getting a divorce once the year is over. Is there any truth to that?”

“Who made the allegations?” Vic wanted to know.

“It was an anonymous tip to both the press and the department,” The Commissioner answered.

Lucas and Vic looked at each other and took a deep breath. “It is true that Victoria and I met in Vegas and got married at the end of the night. We were drunk and didn’t remember much of the night for months.”

“So the story about the two of you dating beforehand was a lie?” Janet asked.

“It was,” Vic answered. “But the rest was not a lie. We did bump into each other at a bar, only it was in Vegas and not here in Seattle and I knew who he was but he didn’t recognize me as one of his firefighters. Also, I did set him on fire,” Vic explained, making Frankel chuckle.

Everyone looked at her. “Sorry but you gotta admit that it’s quite ironic,” she shrugged and Janet just shook her head disapprovingly.

“So, what happened after you two got married?”

“We woke up the next day without any recollection of what had happened. All we had were the rings on our fingers and the marriage certificate. Lucas went to the chapel to find out more about what had happened while I went to my friends wedding which was the reason for me being in Vegas in the first place.”

“At the chapel, I found out that we were in fact legally married and that we had signed a marriage license and that it wasn’t a fake marriage after all. We decided to divorce quickly and quietly once we got back to Seattle but things changed.”

“How did things change?”

“Well she set me on fire again during the Annual Firefighter’s BBQ,” Lucas laughed while the Mayor gave him a curious look. “I startled her while she was handling a gas torch and then suddenly my sleeve caught on fire which triggered us both to remember a part of our night in Vegas. We both remembered that we were attracted to each other and...”

“Is that what made you decide to stay married instead of getting a divorce?” The Mayor asked.

Lucas was about to answer but Frankel beat him to it. “That’s where I come in,” he couldn’t help but sigh. He didn’t want her to get involved in this.

“I don’t understand,” Janet said, looking quite confused.

Frankel pulled out her phone and played the voicemail that Lucas had left her accidentally, making everyone gasp at the revelation.

“When was this voicemail recorded?” Janet asked.

“May 25th, the day we got married,” Lucas answered.

“From the sound of it, I take it that it wasn’t meant for Chief Frankel,” the Commissioner asked.

“No, I thought that I had called my best friend Sully.”

“I still don’t get how Chief Frankel is responsible for the two of you staying married,” the Commissioner furrowed his forehead, waiting for an explanation.

“You see I got this message and I didn’t think much of it at first. I figured he was drunk and hooking up with someone and that was it. A few weeks later, I found divorce papers with Hughes’ name on his table and things started to make sense about that voicemail and I decided to interfere.”

“How exactly did you interfere?” Lucas could tell that Janet didn’t like where this story was going.

“They wanted to divorce quietly and I told him that I had no choice but to report this to HR but it was up to him what story they would get. Either the entire truth that made them both look bad or the one where they had gotten married out of love which required them to stay married for a while.”

“I don’t understand. Why would you do something like that?” Janet asked perplexed.

“Well, I remembered seeing a spark between them while Hughes bandaged his arm at the BBQ and I realized that maybe they needed a little push to realize that they shouldn’t get divorced and try this marriage thing for real and that they were a good fit. I knew that they would choose to stay married because they felt something for each other. It was just so obvious,” she explained and smiled at Lucas.

“So, let me get this straight. You forced a subordinate that you were supposed to guide and protect to stay married to her superior? A superior who happens to be a friend of yours.” 

Lucas was about to say something because he was not letting Frankel take the fall for this but Vic beat him to it. “Stop right there,” Vic interrupted Janet, making everyone look at her in shock.

“Mrs. Ripley, you will get a chance to speak but right now I want to hear from Chief Frankel,” Janet warned her.

“No,” Vic exclaimed and stood up, letting go of his hand. “I won’t let you tear down Chief Ripley and Chief Frankel. They have been very good leaders and mentors and have done so much for this department. As for Chief Frankel’s involvement in my marriage. I’m eternally grateful for the little push she gave me or I would have been stupid enough to walk away from the best thing that has ever happened to me because I wouldn’t have acted on my feelings for Lucas. I would have walked away and probably regretted it for the rest of my life if it hadn’t been for her. Lucas and I are married for real and we are so in love that it can be sickening to some people,” she looked at him and chuckled. “There is nothing fake about this relationship. We are in love and committed to each other. We plan on spending the rest of our lives together and to have a family together. The way we got together may be a little bit unconventional and maybe messy for the department but this is real. Lucas and my relationship is real. I ask you to consider this before you make a decision in regards to our careers.”

“You two may be married and in love now but the fact is that you lied to the department,” Mayor Langston replied. “We can’t just ignore that. It’s out there and has done considerable damage to the department.”

“Yes, we lied to protect our jobs but we also lied because we didn’t want people judging us like you all are doing right now. I can only imagine what you thought when you first found out about our marriage. I’m sure some of you thought I was only in it to get promoted or that I must be pregnant and he was doing the honorable thing or you thought of him as a dog who couldn’t keep it in his pants or thought that maybe this was some sort of midlife crisis. I bet you that no one believed that we actually had genuine feelings for each other when they heard about this,” everyone dropped their heads in shame except for Frankel. 

“Exactly,” Vic continued, “you heard the voicemail. You know how Lucas felt about me from the very beginning. He wasn’t trying to bed his subordinate. He didn’t even know that I was one of his people and while I knew who he was the last thing on my mind was getting promoted and getting myself pregnant to trap him. All I wanted was to be with him in whatever way possible because I loved his company and how he made me feel and because I knew that once we got back home we wouldn’t be able to be with each other. I wanted to enjoy whatever time we had with each other. So what Chief Frankel did was actually a blessing in disguise.”

“Whose idea was it to get married?” Janet asked as Vic sat back down next to Lucas and took his hand in hers again.

“I made the suggestion to do something crazy and Victoria asked what crazy thing we could do in Vegas when Bruno Mars’ song “Marry You” came on and it was like a sign.”

The others exchanged looks and nodded at them.

“What happened at the chapel?” Mayor Langston asked.

“That’s the one part we haven’t been able to remember so far. We remember the before and the after but not the wedding itself.”

“How convenient,” one of the Battalion Chiefs blurted out, earning himself a glare from Lucas. Jefferson had never been a big fan of him as the Chief. Lucas wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one that ratted them out, he just didn’t know how he could have found out.

“Convenient? Are you kidding me? It’s frustrating as hell that I can’t remember marrying the love of my life,” Vic got louder with each word. “All we have is a picture of our wedding kiss and Cam and his mother insisting that we were totally in love.”

“Cam and his mother?” Janet furrowed her forehead.

“The owners of the chapel we got married at,” Lucas answered.

“Why did they let you get married in the first place if you two were drunk?” The Mayor asked.

“Because they saw how in love we were and didn’t want to stand in the way of true love,” Lucas simply said and kissed Vic’s hand.

The Mayor sighed. “I can tell that you two are indeed serious about each other and truly in love but you lied and deceived this department for months,” she inhaled sharply. “Who else knew about your arrangement?”

“Look, I know that lying to you was wrong and I will take full responsibility for it. You can fire me or if you want me to resign I will do that just as long as Vic, Chief Frankel or anyone else don’t lose their jobs,” Lucas suggested, not wanting to answer the question directly. He was willing to give up his career in order for everyone else to keep theirs. He’d be damned if they lost their jobs because of him.

“Lucas, no,” Vic yelled. “I can’t let you do this. If you want to sack someone then sack me,” she offered and Lucas shook his head. Of course she would say that.

“Mrs. Ripley, you are definitely not the one losing your job,” the Mayor assured her.

“Lucas and Deb shouldn’t either. They have done so much for the department. Are you really going to ignore all the good things because they told one lie?”

“That one lie turned into a scandal because it involves the Chief and not just a regular firefighter. We could have ignored it if it hadn’t been for his rank,” the Commissioner explained.

“So there is nothing we can do? You are just going to fire them?” Vic asked.

“We don’t know what we are going to do. They can’t just walk away from this like nothing happened. There will be consequences... for all three of you,” Lucas sighed. Vic may not lose her job but he was sure that all three of them would be suspended and that wouldn’t be good for her future promotions.

“Is there anything we can do to fix this? A press conference, a public vow renewal? Anything?” Vic asked. 

Lucas didn’t like the idea of a public vow renewal. He wanted it to be just them and their friends and family but if it could help with their situation then he was willing to do it.

“I can certainly see what Chief Ripley sees in you. You don’t give up easily, do you?” The Commissioner laughed.

“No, sir. Not when it’s important and our marriage and jobs are the most important things to me,” she replied and smiled.

Janet cleared her throat. “I think we got everything we needed from this hearing. As I mentioned before there will be an investigation. We will talk to Captain Sullivan and everyone from Station 19. A decision will be made in three to four weeks. Chief Ripley, Chief Frankel and Mrs. Ripley will be suspended until a decision is made.”

The couple was dismissed and left headquarters.

“I’m so sorry, Victoria,” Lucas apologized as they entered the car. 

Vic looked at him confused. “For what?”

“For ruining your career.”

“You didn’t ruin anything and I really wanted to punch you when you offered to resign. I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t do that?” She said angrily.

“I just wanted to protect you,” he sighed.

“And I told you that it’s some lame ass co-dependent self-sacrificial territory, and I won't live there. I don’t need your protection. I need your support. I want you and this job for the both of us. I want us to fight for it and not just give up and let them win.”

“But we did lie to them and we just lied again when I refused to tell them who else knew about this,” he reminded her.

“We didn’t lie. We just failed to answer the question and we did it to protect the people we love.”

“That doesn’t matter to them. You heard that they want to talk to all of them anyway. What if this blows up in all our faces and we all get sacked? I promised Sully I would protect him. He has another baby on the way. I can’t ruin his career. I would never forgive myself if I did.”

“Can you just stop being so negative?” Lucas could tell that she was getting annoyed with him.

“I’m not being negative, just realistic. We messed up and they have every right to punish us for it.”

“So you are just going to give up and let them win?” She threw her hands in the air obviously upset.

“Why are we fighting right now? I thought we are on the same team?”

“Well, apparently I’m the only one who wants to fight for all our jobs. You seem to have already given up on yours.”

“If it had meant that there wouldn’t be an investigation I would have done it,” he yelled back.

“Stop trying to be chivalrous. We are in the same boat. I can’t have you just give up and let them take away something that you’ve worked so hard for. Something you deserve.”

“Why are you yelling at me?”

“Because you’re driving me crazy,” she huffed, making him laugh. “Are you laughing at me? This is not funny, Lucas. I swear that you will sleep on the couch tonight if you don’t stop laughing.”

“Like you wouldn’t end up feeling lonely in our big bed and join me on the couch after like five minutes,” she glared at him. “Make that two minutes,” he still laughed.

He watched her as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted at him. Lucas reached out and took her hand in his. “Vic, I don’t want to give up my job because I love it but I love you more and if I have to give it up to save yours I will do that. I’ve been doing this for such a long time and I got everything out of the job that I possibly could. I’m fine with walking away from it and just being a husband and eventually a dad. That’s what I want for the rest of my life. To be with you and our kids. Everything else is just a bonus to me,” Vic opened her mouth to say something but he didn’t let her. “And no I won’t regret it or resent you for it. It’s what I want.”

She looked at him in surprise. “Yes, I know you that well that I even know what you are thinking,” he chuckled. “And I also know that you love being the First Lady of the Fire Department,” Vic laughed.

“I really do,” she admitted before she leaned forward and kissed him. “Promise me that when it comes to it that you won’t just give up. Promise me that you will fight so we can have it all.”

“I promise I will try,” he smiled while holding her face in his hands.

“Okay,” she smiled at him as he kissed her forehead, then her nose and lastly her lips. She deepened the kiss, letting her tongue glide into his mouth, her hands tugging at his shirt.

“Babe, we are in front of headquarters and already have one scandal on our hands. I don’t think we need to add another one to it,” he held her hands in his again.

“Well, at least no one would think we are only faking it then,” she pouted.

“Let’s drive home and then you can do whatever you want to me considering that we are both suspended and have lots of free time to kill,” he pecked her lips before releasing her hands and starting the car.

“We better not waste all that free time,” she simply replied before winking at him.  
  


* * *

  
HR didn’t wait long. They ordered Vic’s team and Captain Sullivan to appear before them to be questioned. 

On Friday morning, they came into headquarters to be questioned by Mrs. Goodwin, Mayor Langston and Commissioner Jameson.

**Maya Bishop:**

Maya was nervous because her entire future could be on the line today. Not just her career in the department but also her relationship with Jennifer. They had just admitted that they loved each other, something that Maya had never felt with anyone else before and now she was summoned to appear before HR to be questioned about Vic’s and Lucas’ relationship. Was she supposed to tell the truth? Was she supposed to lie?

“Babe, you’re thinking way too loud,” she heard Jennifer as she wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

“I just don’t know what to do. If I lie to them and they find out that I lied I will lose my job and if I tell the truth then I may also lose my job because I failed to report this and Lucas and Vic will probably also lose their jobs and then I may also lose you and...”

“Stop,” Jennifer said as she spun Maya to face her. “You are not going to lose me no matter what you say at that hearing. You are stuck with me,” she assured her and Maya smiled. “I always say the truth is the best way to go. You may have known the truth for a while but there was nothing to report when I told you. I mean Lucas and Vic were totally in love with each other already. Have been since Vegas if we are being honest. What good would have come from reporting them?”

“I guess you’re right. I just don’t want to mess this thing up for anyone,” Maya replied concerned.

“You won’t. Everything will be okay. Just trust your instincts, okay?” She leaned in and kissed her. “I love you, Maya.”

“I love you, too, Jennifer,” Maya smiled at her before kissing her again and leaving.

When she walked into headquarters, the nervousness was mostly gone and instead she was annoyed. She’d rather be saving lives and putting out fires than doing this. 

She took a seat and stared at Mayor Langston, Commissioner Jameson and the head of HR Janet Goodwin. 

“Thank you for appearing before us today,” Mrs. Goodwin smiled and Maya sighed.

“It’s not like I had a choice,” she rolled her eyes.

“I see you don’t want to be here,” Mayor Langston noted.

“What gave me away,” Maya answered sarcastically. “I rather be doing my job than helping you smear good people who have done nothing wrong.”

“That is not what we are doing here. We are here to find out how much you have known about Chief Ripley and Victoria Hughes arrangement and if you were complicit in hiding the truth from the department.”

Maya crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Why are you being so defensive? Do you have something to hide?” The Commissioner wondered.

Maya raised an eyebrow. “I’m not defensive. I’m annoyed. Vic and Ripley are in love and happy. What does it matter how it happened? So, they were drunk. Hardly the first people to get married while drunk. What matters is that their marriage is real and solid.”

Mrs. Goodwin gave her a long stare before speaking. “You are dating the Chief’s sister, is that correct?”

“Yes. What does Jennifer have to do with this?”

“Did she know the truth?” Maya sighed but nodded. “Did she tell you?”

Maya took a deep breath. “Yes, she did. She told me after the Chief almost died after saving all those people at the strip mall.” Maya reminded them of Ripley’s heroics.

“Why didn’t you report it?”

“My girlfriends brother was in the hospital fighting for his life while his wife, one of my best friends, was heartbroken because she didn’t know if she was going to lose the man she loved more than anyone else on the planet. I had better things to do than rat them out. I was there for my family. There was nothing to report by the time I found out the truth.”

“What about Chief Frankel’s involvement? What Chief Frankel did was unethical.”

“I will tell you something about Chief Frankel. When Chief Ripley was lying in the hospital and Vic was losing it, she was there for Vic. She was like an anchor. She made sure that Vic was eating and drinking and that she would be fine because that’s the kind of person that Chief Frankel is. She takes care of the people from this department.”

“That doesn’t answer our question,” The Mayor said, looking quite annoyed.

“Chief Frankel is a great leader and just like on the job she is very observing outside of it and she just saw it.”

“Saw what?” The Mayor asked.

“Two people in love, just too stubborn to realize it themselves.”

“But they had no memory of their feelings for each other,” Mrs. Goodwin chimed in. 

“Just because they didn’t remember what had happened doesn’t mean that there were no feelings or attraction involved. Like I said, it was easy to see that these two belong together by just looking at them. I mean you have seen the Chief and Vic. These two are so in love it’s sickening,” Maya chuckled, “in the best way possible, of course. But they are also super stubborn and Chief Frankel just did them a favor here. She is not the bad guy here.”

“Then who is?”

“You really want me to answer that question? Because I can tell you that you won’t like the answer.”

“You do know who we are, right?” The Commissioner asked in a threatening tone. “And you do know that we can terminate you?” 

“What are you going to do? Just fire everyone from Station 19? You do know that we are the best station, right? We set an example for all the other stations. We always do. We are the best you’ve got. Captain Herrera made sure that we are irreplaceable. And the press would have a field day if you fired us all,” the Commissioner sighed.

“Look, I get that there are rules and protocol to be followed and that we broke some of them. You already have the Chief and Vic suspended as well as Chief Frankel and as far as I know, the public has no idea of her involvement in this whole thing. Let Chief Ripley and Vic explain it to the public and apologize and then just be done with it. When people see them together they will know that this is true love and not two people faking it. It never was. As for me, you can suspend me if it makes you feel any better,” Maya said before standing up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I got lives to save and fires to put out.”

Maya left without another word. She knew walking out like that was a stupid move but she just couldn’t stand to be in that room any longer.   
  


* * *

**  
Dean Miller:**

Dean walked into the room with no idea what to expect. He was not one for gossip and really had no idea what was going on between Vic and the Chief other than that they were married and seemed to be in love. 

“Mr. Miller, thank you for joining us today,” Mrs. Goodwin said.

“Um, sure,” he answered. It’s not like he had a choice, he thought. “I’m not sure how much help I will be since I had no idea about what was going on. The Chief and Vic announced that they were married months ago after dating for a while and that was that.”

“And you never questioned their relationship?” The Mayor asked.

“No, why would I? They looked in love and as it turns out, they actually are. I mean it’s not like you noticed anything wrong between them,” he pointed at Mrs. Goodwin. “And it’s your job. For me it was my friend and my boss telling me that they had fallen in love and had gotten married and I believed them.”

“And what about Chief Frankel’s involvement?” The Commissioner wanted to know.

“What about her?”

“You can’t possibly think that it was right of her to force your friend to stay married to a man she didn’t love?” The Mayor asked.

“Did you miss the part where I just said that Vic and the Chief are totally in love with each other?”

“But they haven’t been at the beginning,” the Commissioner chimed in.

“Well, to me it definitely looked like they were from the very beginning,” he sighed. “Honestly, all this is such a long time ago that it’s water under the bridge. What I know is that when Chief Ripley saved those people awhile ago and then almost died because of it that my friend was devastated and couldn’t imagine a life without him. What I know is that I’ve never seen either one of them so happy. Who cares about how it happened or what Chief Frankel did? All that matters is that they are happy together and they are very happy together. This whole thing will blow over. Just give it some time.”

“So that is your suggestion? Just let it go?” Mrs. Goodwin asked.

“Yeah. Chief Ripley is the best this department has ever had and Vic is one of the best firefighters I’ve ever worked with.”

“And what about Chief Frankel?” 

“She should get a medal for making those two crazy kids realize how perfect they are for each other,” Dean shrugged. “If you are so worried about the department then do something about it. People love a good love story. The Chief and Vic have a pretty special one. Right out of a rom com,” he suggested.

“How do you suggest we do that?” The Mayor wondered.

“That’s not my job to figure out, is it? I’m a firefighter and I would very much like for this to be over so I can go back to doing my job,” he stood up. “If that is okay with you.”

“I guess, we are done here. Thank you for coming in, Mr. Miller,” Mrs. Goodwin dismissed him.  
  


* * *

**  
Jack Gibson:**

“Lieutenant Gibson, thank you for coming in today,” Mrs. Goodwin greeted him and smiled.

“You’re welcome. Though I really don’t know what I can do for you. I don’t care much for my friends personal lives.”

 “So you had no idea about any of this?” she asked.

“No, I only knew what they told me and what I saw.”

“And what did you see?” The Mayor wondered.

“I saw two people in love and there was nothing to suggest otherwise.”

“So, it didn’t strike you as odd that your colleague was suddenly married to your boss?”

“No. Vic has always been very private about her personal life. I didn’t think much of her suddenly announcing that she was married to the Chief. Sometimes people who work together fall in love. It happens. I didn’t care how it happened back then and I still don’t care. They are married and happy together. That’s all I need to know.”

“So you had no idea about Chief Frankel’s involvement in all this?”

“What did I just tell you? I had no idea about any of this and I didn’t care for any of this then and I don’t care now. Chief Frankel is good at her job. I’m sure she had her reasons for getting involved in this matter.”

“So you don’t see anything wrong with any of this?” The Mayor asked.

“If Vic was unhappy and suffering I would feel differently about this but the fact is that Vic has never been happier than when she is with Chief Ripley. That’s really all that matters.”

“I see. Um, thanks for your input, Lieutenant Gibson. I guess that will be all. You can go now,” Mrs. Goodwin told him and Jack got up and left.  
  


* * *

**  
Andy Herrera:**

“Ms. Herrera, thanks for coming in. We only have a few questions for you.”

“Of course. Anything I can do to help the department,” she smiled at Mrs. Goodwin.

“Were you aware of what was going on between Chief Ripley and Victoria Hughes?”

“I knew that they had got married in Vegas, which was surprising and I honestly didn’t handle it well,” Andy admitted.

“What do you mean?” Mrs. Goodwin asked.

“I didn’t quite understand how two people that were so different managed to fall in love to the point where they wanted to get married.”

“So you didn’t believe that they were in love?”

“I didn’t say that,” Andy corrected her.

“Then what are you saying?” The Mayor asked, sounding frustrated.

“The way they looked at each other and talked about each other left no doubt that they felt something for each other. I just personally didn’t understand how it happened. They didn’t make sense to me at first but now I get it. They have what my parents had which is rare,” Andy smiled.

“How do you feel about Chief Frankel’s involvement in this?” The Commissioner asked.

“I was furious on Vic’s behalf because I think what Chief Frankel did was wrong and unethical,” Mrs. Goodwin smiled. “I was very upset with her at first,” Andy continued and Mrs. Goodwin’s face screwed up in confusion. “I was pissed but then it got me thinking. Chief Frankel is a person that is by the book and follows the rules. She would have been the first one to report this but instead she did what she did and I asked myself why she would do that and realized that she had her reasons and when I see Vic and the Chief together I get it.”

“So you don’t think that Chief Frankel should be terminated?”

“No, I think the suspension is more than enough punishment. Same goes for Chief Ripley and Vic.”

“Anything else you wanna add to this?” The Mayor asked.

“No, that is all. Can I go now?” 

They nodded and Andy left.  
  


* * *

**  
Captain Pruitt:**

“Captain Herrera, we thank you for appearing before us today,” Janet greeted.

“I’m happy to be here, Janet. Mayor Langston. Commissioner Jameson.” He greeted them as well and smiled.

“What were your thoughts when you learned the truth about the Chief and Victoria Hughes?”

“Let me start by saying that I was never a fan of this union. The moment they announced this marriage months ago, I was unhappy about it. I thought that the Chief took advantage at first but I could see that he truly cared about her but I still thought that he should have known better and not let it happen.”

“Let what happen?”

“I knew that I couldn’t fault the man for falling in love with Victoria because we can’t control our feelings but as her boss and someone much older than her, he should have just ignored those feelings and definitely not married her.”

“So, you did believe that they were in love?”

“Of course. I never doubted their feelings for one another. A blind person could see that. I wasn’t angry because I thought those rumors were true. I was angry because I knew something like that would eventually happen given his position and their age difference. I knew that at some point it would end up hurting Victoria and her career.” Pruitt confessed. “I was shocked when I found out that there was truth to it and absolutely angry when Chief Frankel told us what she had done. That is not like her.”

“Why do you think she did what she did?”

“I don’t think her intentions were malicious but she did use her position and threatened them and the Chief failed to put her in her place and he failed protect Victoria because he was scared about his own career.”

“So, what do you suggest we do here? You have been a firefighter for longer than both of them combined. We very much like to hear your thoughts on that.”

Pruitt sighed. He didn’t want either of them to get fired. He thought that they were good at their jobs and good people for the most part who just made a mistake. 

“I don’t think they should be fired but maybe you should put them on probation. And in addition, have them do charity work for the department, a press conference to explain everything.”

“Why wouldn’t you fire them?”

“Because they are good at their jobs. There is no denying that. They made a mistake here. We all make mistakes and we all deserve a second chance,” Pruitt smiled.

He didn’t want to ruin Victoria’s life. He had seen how much Ripley meant to her and the last thing he wanted was to make her sad or angry. She was like a daughter to him after all and it would break his heart if she hated him.

“I must say I’m surprised, Pruitt,” the Commissioner said.

“If dating his subordinates had been a pattern for Chief Ripley I wouldn’t hesitate to have him fired but that is not the case here and Chief Frankel has never done such a thing before. So, like I said we all deserve a second chance.”

“Thank you for your input. We really appreciate it. I think this is all. You can go now,” Mrs. Goodwin dismissed him.  
  


* * *

**  
Travis Montgomery:**

Travis knew that Vic and Lucas had kept their word and hadn’t outed any of them to HR in their hearing. He knew that he had the option to lie if he wanted but he didn’t want to lie to them. He knew exactly why he didn’t report any of it when he found out and he was going to make sure to tell HR all about it.

He walked into the room, feeling quite confident. He greeted everyone before sitting down and just smiled at them.

“Mr. Montgomery, thank you for appearing before us. We only have a few questions for you.”

Travis nodded. “Let me start off by saying that I always had the utmost respect for Chief Ripley. I have always seen him as a standup guy who took care of his people. When my husband Michael died, he was right there with me at the hospital. He didn’t have to be but he was. At Michael’s funeral, he gave the eulogy which again he didn’t have to do but he did because that’s just the kinda guy he is. He is good and kind and he cares. I know you’re probably wondering why I’m telling you this?” They nodded.

“I have known about Lucas and Vic from the beginning. When she was in Vegas, she called me and talked about this guy she had met and how amazing her night with him was. I didn’t know who she was talking about then and she didn’t tell me until a few weeks later that it was the Chief and that they had gotten married accidentally. I could see it in her eyes that there was more to it. You see, I know my best friend and she is not one to let anyone talk her into anything. She is not one to let other people tell her what to do. At the same time, she is also someone who is scared of opening up to people and about her feelings and I can say for sure that Chief Frankel’s ultimatum forced Vic to face her feelings for the Chief and gave her an excuse to try this thing with him and she took it and agreed to it and I think the same goes for him. It was a weird situation for them but they made it work because deep down they wanted it to work and it did. You have no idea how frustrating it was to watch them dance around their feelings for each other for so long until they finally admitted them and then he almost died and Vic was a mess and you know who was there for her when I couldn’t be? Chief Frankel. She was there the entire time to take care of her because just like Lucas she cares too. I don’t think that Chief Frankel went about this the right way but she did the right thing as weird as that may sound.”

“You do realize that it was your duty to report this. Those rules and protocol are there for a reason. There are there to protect the firefighters of this department,” Mrs. Goodwin reminded him.

“And I would have reported it if I had felt that Vic needed protecting which she clearly didn’t,” he sighed. “I’m not saying that we went about this the right way. Rules and protocol were broken, so of course we deserve punishment in some way but I don’t think termination is the right thing to do here. Let Vic and Lucas deal with the public. I’m pretty sure they could charm the pants off of anyone,” Travis chuckled.

“So we’ve heard,” the Mayor joked.

“Thanks for your input, Mr. Montgomery. We will take it under consideration. You may go,” Mrs. Goodwin dismissed him.  
  


* * *

**  
Captain Sullivan:**

“I don’t want to lie,” he told Claire as they sat inside the car outside of headquarters.

“Then don’t lie,” she smiled as she caressed his cheek. 

“What if they fire me?” Robert asked concerned.

“They would be really stupid to do that but even if they do, we will be fine.” she leaned in to kiss him.

“How can you be so calm?” He wondered and she chuckled. 

“Because I know that everything will be okay. Just trust your instincts. They have never steered you wrong before,” she kissed him again and smiled before he left the car and walked into the building. 

He was greeted by Mayor Langston, Commissioner Jameson and Janet Goodwin when he walked into the room and to say that he was nervous was an understatement. He had a wife and kids to think about but he wasn’t willing to lie and make this whole situation even worse for himself.

“Welcome, Captain Sullivan! Thank you for coming in today. We won’t keep you for long. We just have a few questions,” Mrs. Goodwin said and he nodded. ”Did you know the truth about Chief Ripley’s and Victoria Hughes arrangement and Chief Frankel’s involvement in it?”

He took a deep breath. “I did know.”

“Why did you fail to report them?”

“Let me start at the beginning. I first saw Luke and Vic together at the barbecue and I noticed something there so when a few weeks later I found out from one of my people that my best friend was actually married to her, I was shocked to say the least. He hadn’t told me about it so I went over to his house to find out the truth because there was no way that he would have kept that from me. When I got there he told me everything. He felt guilty for letting Chief Frankel talk him into this charade, as he called it and I was very angry and disappointed in my friend that he would do this to one of his subordinates. That was not the man I have known for over twenty years. I didn’t understand how he could do this and then Vic walked into the kitchen and it was as if I didn’t exist and I realized that it wasn’t a charade after all. I realized that the only thing fake was them “faking it”. What I saw before me were two people who were attracted to each other, felt comfortable with each other and yeah, had feelings for each other. Of course, neither had realized what they felt for each other and were denying it for the longest time but it was clear to everyone who saw them together.”

They nodded at him. “You have to believe me that I take my position seriously and I would never put other firefighters in harm's way. Not on the job or in a delicate situation like this one but in this instance I didn’t act as Captain Sullivan who had the Fire Chief and a subordinate in front of him. I saw two people who I felt were perfect for each other, who I felt could have the same happiness as I have with my wife and as it turns out I was right. I know that it doesn’t change the fact that rules and protocol were broken but I did what I did with the best intentions.”

Mrs. Goodwin furrowed her forehead. “So, you don’t think anyone did anything wrong here just because the Chief and his wife are happy now? This could have gone differently.”

“Let me ask you something. Why wasn’t there an investigation when they first came to you and announced their marriage? There usually is one especially if it involves the Chief himself and a subordinate. I know that marriage is a loophole but you still didn’t look further into it when it was your job to do so.” She sighed and didn’t want to meet his eyes. “Admit it, there was no doubt in your mind that what you saw before you was genuine and real. If you had felt that it was a charade you would have interviewed us all a long time ago but you didn’t.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. “I have no idea who came forward with this and where that person got their information from or how much proof they have. I know you think this makes the department look bad. I suggest you let Luke and Vic just tell the truth about all this.”

“And what about Chief Frankel?” The Commissioner asked.

“The public doesn’t know about her hand in all this, right?” Mrs. Goodwin shook her head. “You have the option to deal with Chief Frankel internally and just let Luke and Vic handle the rest. It’s their reputations on the line,” he suggested.

“What do you suggest we do with you?” The Mayor wondered.

“I mean I can’t stop you from firing me but I hope that my work at Station 42 speaks for itself and that you see me as a valuable member of this department. I acted against protocol but I did it with good intentions and while I don’t regret it, I can promise that it certainly won’t happen again.”

“Alright, I think that’s all, Captain Sullivan. You are dismissed,” Mrs. Goodwin smiled and Robert left.

He had no idea what would happen but he was glad that he chose to be truthful. He meant it when he said that he didn’t regret it. Luke and Vic had found true love and happiness together and who knows what would have happened if they hadn’t intervened. Knowing his best friend he would have let Vic slip through his fingers and remained single and lonely for the rest of his life. Robert was glad that things turned out differently for both of them.  
  


* * *

  
Lucas and Vic were lying in their bed where they have spent most of their time since getting suspended. They were just cuddling and Lucas had that goofy grin on his face that Vic loved so much.

“You know I love you,” she suddenly said and he smiled and kissed her forehead.

“I love you, too,” she sighed. “What’s wrong?” 

“Do you think they are going to be okay at the hearing? I have no idea what any of them plan on saying and I have to admit that it worries me a little bit,” Vic confessed.

“I’m worried too but we will be fine,” he assured her and she turned her head to look him in the eyes. “We’ll get through this. Together,” he smiled and kissed her lips.

Vic moaned into his mouth as he moved on top of her, her legs instantly wrapping around his waist.

“No more talking about this. I want to make love to my wife now,” he smirked as he filled her to the hilt, making her gasp. “You feel incredible,” he groaned as he started moving inside of her, going deeper with each stroke.

“So do you, Lucas,” she sighed as her walls contracted around his cock, making his eyes roll back. “You love it when I do that, don’t you,” she did it again and he groaned once more before thrusting harder. He started pounding into her faster, making her bounce in his arms.

“Harder, Lucas. Please,” she moaned as he hit that spot inside her that made her scream over and over again until she reached her climax. “Don’t stop, babe. Please just,...” Vic arched her back as another orgasm washed over her and took Lucas with her as he came deep inside of her. 

Vic tried to catch her breath as he looked at her and brushed the hair from her forehead before leaning in to kiss her lips and then her nose. Their bodies still connected just the way she liked it.

“Can we just spend the rest of our lives like this if we both lose our jobs,” she chuckled, her muscles contracting around his softening member.

“I certainly wouldn’t mind. It’s my favorite place to be,” he chuckled as well as her stomach growled, making them both laugh. “I gotta feed you first though,” he pulled out and got up from the bed.

Vic smiled as she watched his naked form and she knew she was biased but she was pretty sure that her husband was the most handsome guy on the planet. 

“See anything you like,” he teased as he put on some sweats.

“Oh, so many things, Mr. Ripley,” she smirked and stood up, walking over to where he was standing in all her naked glory. She watched him lick his lips while looking her up and down before pulling her into his arms and kissing her thoroughly. He cupped her ass and hoisted her up, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist before pushing her against the wall.

“You want me to fuck you against the wall?” He whispered against her chest as he took one nipple in his mouth and sucked on it before doing the same with the other while Vic snuck her hand into his sweats and started stroking him to hardness. 

“You’re so naughty, Mrs. Ripley,” he groaned as she pulled his pants down and guided his cock to her opening, both looking down as he entered her. 

And so her handsome husband fucked her into the wall of their bedroom before finally going downstairs to fix her something to eat.

They didn’t talk about work or the hearing for the rest of the day and just enjoyed being together. They would have to go back to reality soon enough.


End file.
